able extent holds, these people in its grasp. The "Shaman" is a sorcerer, who professes to have power to summon spirits to his aid. His incantations with the concomitants of masks, cries, contortions, etc., are regarded with awe by the people. The Russians found the Kadiak people believers in demonology. So far as we know there are no idolators among these people. MISSIONARY EFFORTS. The first Russian commander who discovered the Aleutian Islands at once began to propagate his faith among the natives, and in a short time baptized the son of a chief. Shelikoff, after the annexation of Alaska to Russia, urged the government to send out priests, chiefly, it is believed, because they would exert a pacific influence upon the people and thus render property and person more secure. So, in 1793 the Empress Catherine II., in a special ukase, directed missionaries to be sent, and in 1794 the Archimandrate Ivassof, with seven clergymen and two laymen, was sent to the island of Kadiak, which thus became the first mission station of the Greek Church in Alaska, and the centre of missionary operation for that region. Elliot says: "It was the site of the first grand depot of the old Russian American Company, and also the location of the first missionary establishment and day school ever founded on the northwest coast of the continent." Missionaries in a few years reported the conversion and baptism of nearly the whole of the Aleutian tribes. In 1806 the Lord's prayer was translated into the Kadiak language and sung in the churches, but was subsequently neglected and lost. Sitka also became a great religious centre of the Greek Church in Alaska. The old Greek Church Edifice in Sitka is an object of interest to visitors. It is built in the form of a Greek | cross, and surmounted by an Oriental dome. It is without seats. Ornaments, of silver, richly embroidered priestly vestments, and paintings of prelates, the Virgin and Child, are shown to visitors. This was mainly for the Russians themselves, and the chapel for the natives is an inferior structure. The priest's residence is a large building at some distance from the church. | At Fort Wrangel we saw another Greek Church edifice, now unused. The question naturally arises: What practical, abiding results were produced by the missionary efforts of the Greek Church? In Southeastern Alaska, as Petrof asserts: "The Russian priest made very little impression upon the warlike pagans, who only occasionally, for the consideration of a present, consented to submit to the ceremony of baptism." Elliott, speaking of the slight impression made upon them after nearly a century, says: "The cause of this failure of the missionary and the priest is easy to analyze; it is due to the demoralizing precept and example of those depraved whites who always appear on the field of the Indian mission, sooner or later; if they could be shut out, and the savage wholly uninfluenced by their vicious lives, then the story of Alaska salvage (sic) might be very different." Of the Eskimo, particularly in upper Alaska, the same writer says: "These people are savages and not at all affected by the earnest and persistent attempts of the Russian priests to Christianize them." Petrof says that, though in some localities the Russian priest has the whole population on his registry, and baptizes the infants, yet the people preserve their old pagan customs and festivals. | the labors of Russian missionaries. Nearly the We may conclude, therefore, that while in the Aleutian district the religion of the Greek Church has wrought a marked change for good in the people, about five-sixths of the population are practically unaffected by it. What else can be expected in a system radically pedobaptistic, in which all children are baptized and reckoned as members of the church? A purer Christianity is needed for the regeneration and transformation of this people. American Christians have done comparatively little for these Alaska people. The Presbyterians have done by far the most. They formally began work at Fort Wrangel in 1877 and at Sitka in 1878. They have mission stations at Fort Wrangel, Sitka, Fort Tongas, Haines, Hoonyah, Jackson, and Juneau. Only two or three churches have yet been organized and the entire number of church members is about 100. The Protestant Episcopal Church, under the auspices of the Church of Missionary Society of England have had missionaries at Fort McPherson and La Pierre House, within the Arctic Circle, and a station also on the Yukon River about 1,300 miles north of Sitka. In 1885 the Moravians established a mission on the Kuskokvim River, 150 miles above its mouth, and 1,500 miles from Sitka. The Executive Board of the American Baptist Home Mission Society, which for two years had given attention to the establishment of a mission in Alaska, early in 1886 appointed Rev. W. E. Roscoe to Kadiak Island, where he is now at work. Mrs. Roscoe is a missionary of the Woman's American Baptist Home Mission Society of New England. Rev. J. A. Wirth is also at Afognak, not far distant, and though not under the Society's appointment now, will doubtless come into relation with it next year. The Roman Catholic Church has recently sent missionaries to Alaska, but we have not definite information concerning their number or The Aleutians were more deeply affected by their stations. Let it be said in conclusion that the people of Alaska as a part of our own American population have special claims upon us. Only a very small fraction of them are truly Christian; perhaps one-sixth of them are nominally Christian as reckoned on the registers of the Greek Church, which in many respects differs little from the Roman Catholic Church, while the great body are yet in pagan darkness and superstition, and exposed in many localities to the demoralizing influence of corrupt American adventurers. They are entitled to a place in our sympathies and our prayers, and to remembrance in our missionary offerings. A SEVEN YEARS' SURVEY. BY H. L. MOREHOUSE, CORRESPONDING SECRETARY OF THE AMERICAN BAPTIST HOME MISSION SOCIETY. and gladness. It was almost worth going into debt simply for this unparalleled, this magnificent manifestation of cheerful Christian liberality, which proclaims that love and loyalty to Christ are alive and strong in the earth. Debts are not desirable things; neither are they always dishonorable. There are worse things than a debt, which has been termed "the devil's saddle." Chistian inertia, apathy, selfindulgence, worldly conformity, heartlessness, covetousness, and carping criticism are infinitely worse-are the seven devils themselves, that must somehow be exorcised by the spirit of Christ. When these are cast out, and every man is in his right mind as regards his responsibility for the proper or improper use of his Lord's treasures, then retrenchment will be mentioned no more, and Society debts will be unknown. Now, after having thoroughly tested the benevolence of the denomination, after knowing what grand things they can do in an emer[Extracts from the address presented at Asbury gency, and how they can be depended upon for Park, May, 1866.] During these years the ruling theory in the general management has been that the Society is set not alone for the cultivation of mission fields, but also for the development of the missionary spirit in the denomination; not merely to be the passive recipient and dispenser of the people's offerings, but to stimulate them to larger sacrifices for Christ; in a word, not to slavishly follow sluggish public opinion, but to lead and direct it. Instead of timidly walking by sight and waiting until requisite funds for an advance were actually in the treasury, when great opportunities presented themselves, having faith in God and in His poeple, at the manifest bidding of Providence we launched out, with these words as our standing motto: WHAT SHOULD BE DONE WE MUST ATTEMPT TO DO. And then, depending upon the common sense and consecration of Baptists in general, we have given them the reasons and the solid facts, trusting them to sustain the Society in its aggressive measures. The critic reminds us that we got tremendously into debt, and that debts are awful things. Yes, we did indeed get into debt --a great debt of $123,000, an accumulation of four years; but when the fullness of the time came, God sent His Spirit among the people, who said, "The debt must go!" and lo! in eighty days it went. Instead of the black cloud and the gloom, there is now the bow of promise steady pulling, it is proposed henceforth to keep out of debt by making appropriations for each year upon the basis of average receipts for the three preceding years. Two years ago, for the first time in the history of our missionary organizations, the Society appointed a standing committee on Christian beneficence. Already excellent results have been witnessed. The example has been followed by other general missionary organizations and by State conventions, and it is hoped that similar committees may be appointed in all the associations of our land, even to the regions where anti-mission and omission Baptists live and move and have their being for themselves alone. The steadfast aim of the Society is to induce the churches to make regular contributions annually, and to do this, so far as possible, without depending upon the presence of a representative of the Society. All churches, small or great, are to be made to feel it a privilege and a duty to have a part in this work of the evangelization of this Continent. In addition to the BAPTIST HOME MISSION MONTHLY, about 10,000 copies of which are issued monthly, a vast amount of information in various forms has been disseminated among the churches. These efforts have not been fruitless. Contributions to the Society's work during these seven years have been far in excess of those of any other seven years in its history. For the financial year closing with April, 1879, the contributions for all purposes were $86,569.55. The next year (the first of the seven under review) they were $104,683.73; in 1881, $131,572.49; in 1882, the semi-centennial year, $260,806.63; in 1883, $209,961.86; in 1884, $249,383.82; in 1885, $357,522.82; in 1886, $288,732.84. The legacies have been in 1880, $11,020.09; in 1881, $34,537.03; in 1882, $50,160.13; in 1883, $37,974-49; in 1884, $78.663.38; in 1885, $45,398.90; in 1886, $46,295.88. The total receipts for these years were as follows: In 1880, $173,214.63; in 1881, $235,032.44; in 1882, $359,306.38; in 1883, $283,944.25; in 1884, $401,692.19; in 1885, $447,379.05; in 1886, $382,314.67,—a grand total in seven years of $2,282,883.67. During the preceding seven years, from 1873 to 1879, inclusive, the Society's gross receipts were $1,375,407.26, and during the almost seven times seven years, from 1832 to 1879, they were about $3,500,000. In other words, these seven years have shown 66 per cent. increase over the receipts of the previous seven, and have been about two-fifths of the nearly six million dollars received in the whole history of the Society. foresight has always been as good as his "hindsight," let him throw the first stone. The crowning fact of the substantially unshaken confidence of the denomination in the Society's general management is found in the wonderful and expeditious removal of this great debt. The rapid progress of the Society, during these seven years, and its present condition, therefore, have not been due to exceptionally propitious circumstances. The Lord has said to the waves "Peace, be still." "The Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are glad.” To Him be the praise and the glory for these wonderful results. Turn now to a consideration of the mission fields themselves. In 1879 there were 236 laborers all told. In the seven succeeding years the number ran upward as follows: 281, 392, 513, 607, 636, 695, 669. The number is almost three times what it was then. Some of this increase is owing to the plan of co-operation with western States; yet, when formerly a similar arrangement existed, the largest number reported was 435, in 1873. There are about three times as many missionaries among the Americans as then, twice as many among the Germans, and four times as many among the Scandinavians. Now, what have we to show for these seven years' labors? More than 700 Baptist Churches organized by our missionaries-nearly as many Over 16,000 as in the State of New York. During this period the Society has enjoyed the confidence and support of some whose giv-persons baptized, and about 18,000 more added ing has been on a princely scale. They have by letter and otherwise-a total of 34,000 saved, given not through strong appeals to their sym- shepherded, organized for Christian service in pathy, but from principle and after deliberate seven years. During this time 467 Church Ediconsideration. They have seen the great needs fices have been erected by the Society's aid, in our Home Mission work, the golden oppor- with accommodations for about 100,000 persons tunities that ought to be seized upon for Christ and a property valuation of $1,500,000. The and His church, and have cheerfully laid their whole number of grants made for the erection thousands on the altar of Christian consecraof Church Edifices since 1855 is 781. In the 24 tion. years to 1879, 304 grants had been made; in the seven years since, 467-more therefore in this period than for the entire previous years. This has been due in no small degree to the establishment of the Gift Fund to aid churches directly with outright appropriations for the erection of their houses of worship. This new departure was taken in 1881, and has put new life into many of our mission fields where an average gift of about $350 stimulates and effectually aids a small and weak church to obtain a home of its own. At the same time, the Loan Fund has been in demand, many churches hav The great financial reverses in the fall of 1883, and the long-continued depression succeeding, have put to the test the benevolence of the churches. Then, too, confidence in the Society was somewhat disturbed by certain losses which it sustained about two years ago—yet evidently only slightly disturbed, as shown by the offerings of the last two years, which have been the largest in the Society's history. Let him who has never made a business mistake, who has never been the victim of misplaced confidence, whose | ing been aided by both gifts and loans. In 1879 the Society had eight schools under its fostering care-an increase of but one for the six preceding years. To-day there are seventeen, more than double the number. The enrollment then was 1,041; now, 3,258. There were about seventeen buildings then; there are thirty-six now, thirteen of which are large, substantial structures, erected during this time. The amount that has gone through the Society's treasury for school property in these seven years is $263,629.97, most of which was thus designated. From the colored people and from other sources additional amounts have been put into property of schools aided by the Society, so that the total valuation of these properties must be nearly or quite double what it was seven years ago. The endowment funds held by the Society for these schools then was $19,993.90; it has increased to $96,069.04 now; while apart from this, by the death of its patron, Deacon H. Chamberlain, of N. Y., Leland University at New Orleans has received about $100,000. Two Professorships of $25,000 each have been established in the Richmond Theological Seminary, by Messrs. John D. Rockefeller, and Joseph B. Hoyt-who have the honor among Baptists of endowing the first Theological Professorships for the Christian training of the colored people of America. Best of all, about 1,500 conversions have been reported in these schools during this period. To sum up: In these seven years receipts have trebled; the missionary force trebled; schools doubled and their attendance trebled; Church Edifice work increased seven-fold. Yet for all this development and for the management of these complex affairs the cost of administration has increased barely fifteen per cent. "But," says some one, attempted to do so much? Has it not been forcing the work?" Forcing the work? Nay, indeed, the work has been forcing us. O! busy, rushing American citizens, intent on the things of to-day and eager for the things of to-morrow, have you paused to consider what wonderful years these last seven years have been for America? Have you thought of the material progress of our country in this period? Look at it! Up to 1879 there were 78,976 miles of railroad in this country. In the seven years since, 46,423 miles have been built-an increase of nearly sixty per cent. Over half as many miles in the last seven years as in the previous forty-eight years since the first rail was laid. About two-thirds of this increase, or 27,582 miles, were built in the Society's vast mission fields of the West-four times more than the railroad mileage of New England for the last fifty-five years, and equal to eight roads from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Railroad construction in the East has consisted largely in paralleling existing lines or increasing communication between important points, without developing new territory, but railroad building in the West has opened up a new world for industry, has made accessible a region almost as large as the entire country east of the Mississippi River. It was a marvel when one railroad spanned the continent. Now we have practically four, with lateral branches shooting out into mining camps and fertile plains and valleys. New People poured in; towns sprung up as by magic; lands were taken up with amazing rapidity. In these seven years the United States Government, certain States, and the railroad corporations, have sold about 117,000,000 acres of land in the West. Think of it! England has about 40,000,000-nearly three New Englands opened and occupied for the first time since the world was made-all in seven years! Never was there anything like it in our history! There is nothing like it elsewhere on earth. That West in 1870 contained a population of five millions; in 1880 of eight and a-half millions; it contains to-day at least ten and a half millions. While during the last five years many eastern States show an increase of about ten per cent., some of these western States and territories have increased from twenty-one to two hundred per cent. During these seven years, also, the unparalleled tidal wave of immigration has flowed in and over our land. The highest mark ever before reached was in 1854, when 427,833 arrivals were reported. In 1882 there were 788,992. In June, 1879, there were in this country about 6,220,000 people of foreign birth. In the seven years since there have arrived about 3,680,000. Making allowances for deaths and diminutions from other causes, there must be about nine million foreigners in the United States to-day, of whom quite one-third have come in the last seven years. |