The Last Eleven Provinces

Kiang-si and Gan-hwuy. Commencing with Kiang-si, which was first occupied by the American Methodist Episcopal Mission, and in which the C.I.M. has worked since 1869, there is a province twice the size of Portugal, and containing 15 millions of souls. It has two mission stations and five missionaries. Adjoining it, is the province of Gan-hwuy, rather smaller than England, and containing now some nine millions of people, and eight missionaries — four of whom are ladies. The C.I.M. worked there alone fifteen years; but at last one American missionary has come, and we hope that others will soon follow. Considering the work of the ladies as local, we find only nine men to evangelize these two large provinces, through which the Yang-tse passes, and steamers up and down daily convey their passengers. When will the 24 millions of these provinces hear the gospel of the grace of God?

Ho-nan and Shan-si. In the north-west of Gan-hwuy lies the province of Ho-nan, as large as England and Wales, and containing 15 millions of inhabitants. Through God’s blessing on the itinerant work of the C.I.M., several persons have been converted and baptized. A station, with one married missionary, resident at Ju-ning Fu, had to be given up for a time, through a local rebellion, and itineration resumed. Now there is a native helper there, and the prospect of re-opening the station. North of Ho-nan is the province of Shan-si, nearly as large as England and Wales. It was fearfully devastated by the famine, but still probably contains nine millions. It has now two stations and 18 missionaries (including four single ladies, and three young men who are acquiring the language). Ten of them belong to the China Inland Mission, and one lady, unconnected, works with them. About 300 converts have been gathered by them at their stations and out-stations. The two Baptist missionaries have also some converts at T’ai-yiien Fu. The American Board Mission have five missionaries, who will probably open some new stations when they are able. In these two large provinces, therefore, there are 24 millions of souls, and only fifteen men living and wording among them. Comment is needless!

Shen-si and Kan-suh. West of Shan- SI, and separated from it by the Yellow River, is the province of Shen-si, equal in extent to Holland, Saxony, Bavaria, and

Shen-si and Kan-suh.

Wurtemberg together. Desolated by the Mohammedan rebellion, and having suffered fearfully from the famine, it has yet probably seven millions of souls. The China Inland Mission has 4 brethren and 6 sisters in 2 stations, occasionally itinerating in the province, and some 90 converts have been baptized, of whom (excluding cases of removal and discipline) 50 are in communion in the province. Still further west Hes the vast province of Kan-suh. The modern province is very large; far more extensive than the ancient one, which is still delineated on most English maps. It will be remembered that France is nearly four times the size of England; and that Spain is not much less than France. But Kan-suh is larger than both France and Spain put together, and contains perhaps three millions of precious souls — a small number compared with its former population, but still far more than the whole island of Madagascar. The C.I.M. has two married missionaries, and one single sister, working there, in the only mission station in this extensive region. No Protestant missionary of any other Society has ever been stationed either in this province or in Shen-si. A few Christians have been gathered in Kan-suh also. In Kan-suh and Shen-si there are two immense regions, containing probably 10 millions of souls — Chinese, Thibetans, Mongols, &c., &c., and six men, four missionaries’ wives, and a few single sisters alone are resident and itinerant among them to witness for the Lord Jesus! In the face of facts like these, can

we consistently profess ourselves to be
believers in the Bible,
and servants of the
Crucified One, whose
parting word of command was — Preach
“in all the world” —” to every creature?”

Si-cKuen and
Yun-nan.

South of Kan-suh
lies Si’-CH’tJEN, almost
bordering on Assam,
and nearly as large
as Sweden. The pop-AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS IN Si-CITUEN. ■>„.• 111

ulation is probably 20 millions. The C.I.M, has worked in Chung-k’ing, the commercial capital of

S’i-ch’uen and Yun-nan.

this province, since 1877; and has gathered a small church there; and the colporteurs of the British and Foreign Bible Society, and of the National Bible Society of Scotland have made its mission premises their head-quarters when in Si-ch’uen. In January, 1882, the C.I.M. commenced work in Chen-tu, the political capital, and here also it has had the joy of baptizing a few converts. In the autumn of 1882, the American Methodist Episcopal Mission began work in Chung-k’ing, and now has four missionaries there. The C.I.M. has now eight missionaries in the two stations; and the National Bible Society of Scotland also has one European colporteur in the province. Of the total of 1 3 missionaries in this vast province, five are single ladies. If the eight men do their duty to the two cities In which they reside, the populations of which are not far from those of Manchester and Liverpool respectively, how much time or strength will remain for the rest of the province, which includes in its domain the large

districts of Eastern Thibet? South of Si-ch’uen, lies the province of YtJN-NAN (bordering on Burmah and near to Assam), a province as large as England and Wales. It has five millions of people probably, and in Yiin-nan Fu, the capital, in Ta-li Fu, the old Mohammedan capital, and in Bhamo, on the Irrawaddy in Upper Burmah, the C.I.M. has six missionaries working. We cannot say how many different tribes, speaking distinct languages — as the Thibetans, Lo-los, Shans, Kah-chens, Ming-kia, Miao-tsi among others — are to be found, not to speak of the Chinese; and there are six brethren among them all, including Mr. Henry Soltau in Bhamo. In these two provinces, therefore, covering together an area of 307,513 square miles, and containing 25 millions of precious souls, there are only 19 Protestant missionaries, fourteen of them men! one man, if you will, to 21,965 square miles of hill and dale, of mountain and valley — a district over two-thirds the size of Scotland. When could he traverse such a district, and reach the countless inhabitants it contains, even if the work of the city, in which he resides, were not in itself far more than he could possibly accomplish? Yet all these people

MR. G. W. CLARKE’S MISSION HOUSEHOLD AT TA-LI FU.

Kwei-ckau, Kwang-si and Hu-nan.

must die; daily many of them are dying, and dying in sin, with no knowledge of the only Saviour; and after death the judgment! If we do not care to think of their judgment, is it not well that we should think of our own?” Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Kwei-chau, Kwang-si
and Hu-nan.

There still remain three provinces, which may be taken together. In KwEi-CHAu, east of Yun-nan, larger than Belgium, Saxony, Hanover and Bavaria — population, four millions — the C.I.M. has one station and three missionaries — two of them still learning the language. Kwang-si, also east of YtJN-NAN, and bordering on Tong-king, nearly equals England and Scotland in extent, and has five millions of people, but NO Missionary! (One designated by the C.I.M. is gaining experience to commence work in this difficult province). Hu-nan, nearly one-third the size of Austria, has 16 millions of souls, and the C.I.M. only has one missionary itinerating among them! (Another is learning the language to assist him). The area of these three provinces together is 227,828 square miles, over seven times that of Scotland; the aggregate population is 25 millions, nearly seven times that of Scotland; and there are only the four C.I.M. missionaries among them, and two others designated. Some of these workers are often cast down and discouraged, for want of companionship and help — living alone in these vast regions and among these 25 millions! Is it not time we cried mightily to the great Lord of the harvest, to succour the lonely ones, and to send forth more labourers into His great harvest field? Help us. Christian friends, by your prayers!