Soudan every other knowledge but the knowledge of eternal life. It may be some day they will see it; but meantime the responsibility rests on us to look away from man to God, and do whatever He makes it possible to do.

The first missionary sent thither by C.M.S. was Dr. Harpur. Permission had been given for him to go up and live at Omdurman, without attempting any missionary work. He was accompanied by the Rev. L. Gwynne, who was allowed to live in Khartoum, where he became Chaplain to the English Garrison.

Most of our readers will remember that Khartoum is between the two rivers, the Blue and the White Niles. On the one side, across a wide river you reach Omdurman, the capital of the Mahdi,

and on the eastern

side, across the Blue Nile, but a little lower down the river is Halfiyah, a town that has sprung into being since the British occupation, situated at the terminus of the railway, and a rapidly growing place. A little steamer plies backwards and forwards from Omdurman to Halfiyah, calling at Khartoum on the way. For a long time the missionaries could only wait patiently and show kindness to all the natives, and seek to win them by degrees, and disarm their fear and suspicion.

After a time Dr. Harpur returned to his work in Cairo, and his place was taken by Dr. and Mrs. A. C.

Hall They, too, had to go on in the same way, seeking by kindness to win the hearts of the people. Dr. Hall opened a Dispensary, and this soon became a potent means of dispelling the prejudice around.

The Rev. L. Gwynne, who has remained at Khartoum all through, has also found his way become gradually more clear before him. By degrees a little more liberty has been allowed. He was first asked to undertake a native school already in existence. Then a girls' school has been opened, and Miss Bird has gone up from Cairo to advise and help in its organization. Mrs. A. C. Hall is hoping to go back to the Soudan next autumn, and will probably take charge of this girls' school, while someday it is hoped that a medical mission will be started, and a hospital built as a memorial to Dr. Hall.

We have here a picture of the house among the palm trees which is Mr. Gwynne's present home. It goes by the name of Mr.

Gwynne's New Rectory. It is not far from the river, and here he hopes to be joined by some helpers later in the year. Mr. Gwynne has won the confidence of all around him in a most remarkable way, both of Europeans and natives, and he and his fellow-workers will

find in days to come that through the long trying time of delay, before full permission could be granted to speak of Christ to the people, they have yet been enabled to make known His Presence as a living reality in their midst.

An Account of the Establishment of the American Presbyterian Mission in the Sudan and

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the Present Opportunity.*

The

INCE the conquest of the Sudan by Kitchener, the Sudan comes under the joint government of England and Egypt. two flags fly together from the same flagstaffs, but the controlling power belongs to England. The English genius for government is manifesting itself in the making of laws, the definition of tribal and individual rights, the opening of the country by steamboat and railroad, the encouragement of agriculture, the rebuilding of Khartum, the settlement of boundary disputes, the regulation of taxation, the founding of schools, and the introduction of public works. Property is now secure, and life is almost as safe, save for natural accidents, as it is in most parts of America.

The hand of God in preparing the way for the evangelization of this country may be readily recognized. The united control of England and Egypt makes life and property secure. The railroad will take us up to where General Charles Gordon fell a martyr to his mission. The steamship will take us five hundred and even a thousand miles further into the interior. The Arabic language is at our disposal as a vehicle for conveying to a large part of the poper lation the good news of salvation. The sorrows and suffering, as well as the disappointed religious expectations of this vast territory.

prepare the way for the presentation of the Man of Sorrows, Whose hope maketh not ashamed, but imparts eternal life. Then, lest we should still hesitate to enter in, God places at our disposal from British sources several thousands of dollars, on condition that our Church Occupy this new Mission field. Surely we could not stay out without seeming to disobey God!

At the General Assembly's request, the Mission in Egypt appointed a commission, consisting of Rev. J. K. Giffen and Rev. Andrew Watson, D.D., to go up the Nile and explore the country, with a view to the establishment of a Mission. During the winter of 1899-1900 an exploration of the field and a study of conditions was accomplished. Our two missionaries found a pathetic condition of affairs, especially among many of the Coptic faith, who had gone through the Mahdi reign. These, although nominally Christians, had adopted the Mohammedan religion and its practices, and their children had grown up in absolute ignorance of all Christian truth. The Sudanese population was evidently greatly decimated and impoverished by war and misgovernment. There was an utter lack of religious conviction of any sort. As one of our missionaries wrote, "Even the Christians here live like heathen, and are buried like dogs."

It was the opinion of the commission that the best opening for Mission work lay along the Blue Nile, but, as subsequent events showed, here again was a case where man proposes but God disposes."

The following winter, in November, 1900, the Egyptian Mission sent the Rev. J. K. Giffen and Mrs. Giffen and Dr. H. T. McLaughlin and Mrs. McLaughlin up the Nile to begin work. With their departure from Egypt and their arrival at Khartum, the Sudan Mission may be regarded as having its beginning. The plan was to establish a centre for Mission work at Khartum and then to proceed up the Blue Nile for the establishment of another station. To do this, however, required permission from the English Government, which had issued a prohibition against all missionary effort among Mohammedans, lest such work should lead to religious excitement and further insurrection. Mr. and Mrs. Giffen and Dr. and Mrs. McLaughlin devoted their time to work among the Copts of Khartum and such members of our own native Egyptian Church as were in Government employ at Khartum.

In the spring of 1902, after repeated and urgent requests on the part of our Mission, the Government at last granted permission for missionary work, but limited it to work among non-Moslem Sudanese. The practical effect of this permission was to compel Our Mission to go some 500 miles further afield, and, instead of opening work on the Blue Nile, we established a Mission station on that branch of the White Nile called the Sobat River.

Only a few miles from Tewfikiyah, where the Sobat River enters the White Nile, the Government donated a site for a Mission Station. This site is well situated, on the right bank of the river, on a slight elevation covered with dolaib palm trees. Our missionaries gave to it the name of Dolaib Hill. Here they built their first houses.

It is difficult to forecast the future of our Sudan Mission. As to its methods of work, it may be safe to say, judging both from present indications and the analogy of the Uganda Missions, that industrial education will be used extensively as a missionary agency in the Sudan. As to its success, if we may judge from Missions of

D

Central Africa, located among similar races, we may expect early and large results in the conversion of many, and a simple-hearted faith in Christ and a ready acceptance of His Gospel. As to the extent of our field, it is not expected that our Church alone can furnish either the men or the means necessary for the evangelization of the entire territory, but it is certain that the United Presbyterian Church of America with the position of vantage which she occupies through her missionary work and experience in Egypt-must and should be always one of the leading forces, if not the leading force, in the evangelization of the Egyptian Sudan. The door of opportunity is open wide in the Sudan, and opportunity is God's call to a new and more complete consecration of life to the service of the Eternal Kingdom.

THE

HE last station of our Egyptian Mission and the Synod of the Nile is Assouan, about 24 degrees north latitude and a little north of the tropic of Cancer. After passing this point to the south as far as 5 degrees north latitude is now popularly known as the Sudan.

The Nubian section which lies between Assouan and Wadi Halfa is under the Egyptian Government, and the remainder is under the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan Government. The population of this district is about 40,000. They are all Muslims, and a very small proportion of them speak the Arabic language. The people are known as Ba-ra'ba-ra. There is one Gospel only prepared for them in their own language, and published by the British and Foreign Bible Society. This Gospel is printed in the Arabic character.

Wadi Halfa is the northern limit of the Sudan proper. This is nearly 600 miles north of Khartum. The district between Wadi Halfa and Khartum includes the fertile province of Dongola, and the important provinces of Berber and Shendy. A railway connects Wadi Halfa with Khartum and Omderman. The population of this great district is practically all Muslim, and no work has been undertaken in it except an occasional visit of the Evangelist under Synod, and now located at Omderman.

The Synod has had under consideration the appointment of an Evangelist for this district, and it is earnestly hoped that a good man. may be found. This district is especially important for a Mission field in connection with the native Evangelical Church of Egypt. KHARTUM AND SOUTH.

Originally the Sudan was a section extending to the east as far as the Red Sea and Abyssinia, and to the west including Dar Fur and Kordofan, and to the south as far as to Fashoda. But gradually the southern boundary has been extended until all the Nile Valley north of 5 degrees north latitude is now considered as the Sudan.

The Sudanese of Kordofan, Dar Fur and Khartum districts and the Red Sea provinces are all Muslims. The negroes to the south are all heathen.

The Government has seen fit to place a prohibition upon mis sionaries working in the Sudan, which excludes active and aggressive Reprinted from "The Christian Union Herald."

*

work for the Muslim population. This prohibition must eventually be removed. In the meantime the Synod of the Nile has secured the privilege of beginning work at Khartum and Omderman for native evangelical Christians and other of the Christian population, and for more than a year regular services have been held at Omderman and Khartum with most encouraging results. Land has been bought in Khartum for the use of the Synod, and it will require about $2,000 to pay for it and to erect such buildings as are necessary for present need and to fulfil the conditions of the purchase.

Beside this Mission should at once secure property for a Mission residence, looking to the future of the work, as from this time forward the work requires that at least one missionary should be stationed at Khartum. It would now require about $1,000 to $1,200 to pur

chase such property. And it is well to bear in mind that the value of the most desirable sites in Khartum have doubled during the last year.

SCHOOLS.

As soon as the Government removes its prohibition now imposed upon Missionaries, schools can most profitably be employed for both boys and girls. The Government has opened some schools for boys which are altogether Muslim in their management and influence. The Gordon Memorial College at Khartum is almost completed, and is an immense building, capable of accommodating 1,000 pupils. In the meantime some primary schools have been opened, and there are probably 150 pupils at present in the schools of Khartum and Omderman. But even if the Government should increase its educational facilities it will in no degree lessen the necessity for evangelical