FIFTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE FRIENDS’ cJfmieip Jfcian 1 8 8 2 . * ? / “GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD, AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE.” PRINTED AND PUBLISHED AT THE ORPHANS' PRINTING PRESS, 12, BROAD STREET, LEOMINSTER. Yale Divinity Library New Haven, Conn. This drawing was taken from nature by one of the native medical students, and copied on stcne by a native draughtsman in the Friends Printing-office in Madagascar. It has been re-produced in England in Photo-typo by Abraham Kingdon & Co. The long building nith Vtrandah is the Hospital ; the house adjoining A- the resident e of Miss Graham, the larpe "Cape Oak" in foreground mis planted by the late Mr. James ('tntiereii, of the 1.. M .S.,- the state huitiiinr, on the hilt , i/n'zc i.s one of the Mentor tut ( t’m/ e/s. on the site o/ the Mat /v ii /.t iJ i *'/ font tinh/r? tit Ift-dQ /YES' F9J? v. & - a y FRIENDS’ FOREIGN MISSION ASSOCIATION, 1882. Treasurer: JAMES HACK TUKE, H i t c h i x . Secretary : HENRY STANLEY NEWMAN, L e o m in s t e r . J.W sit mit Secretan/, p ro, tern.:— WILLIAM JOHNSON, H i t c k i n . Executive Committee: RICHARD ALLEN GEORGE (ilLLETT G. SATTERTHWAITE STAFFORD ALLEN JOHN T. GRACE FREDERIC SEEBOHM WILLIAM C. ALLEN THEODORE HARRIS ^ J. S. SEWELL .1. GURNEY BAli' LAY THOMAS HARVEY ISAAC SHARP WILLIAM BECK HENRY I-IIPSLEY SAMUEL SOUTHALL .1. B. BRAITIIWAITE .loNATHAN B. HODGKIN .1. FYFE STEWART C. L. BRAITIIWAITE JOSEPH HUNTLEY GEORGE STURGE WILLIAM BREWIN CALEB R. KEMP JOHN TAYLOR ISAAC BROWN RICHARD L1TTLE150Y JOHN B. TYLOR ALBERT .1. CROSl'IELD Jos 1 All NEWMAN ^ JAMES THOMPSON JOHN DIXON HEXRY NEWMAN MARRIAGE WALLIS THOS. W. FISHER GEORGE PALMER, M.P.. 'CALEB S. WILSON ALFRED L. FOX ARTHUR PEASE, M.P. JOHN E. WILSON JOSEPH S. FRY ALFRED RANSOM - WILLIAM WHITE THEODORE FRY, M.P. WILLIAM RANSOM JOI1X WHITING GEORGE S. GIBSON WALTER ROBSON Madagascar Sub-Committee: ALFRED RANSOM FREDERIC SEEBOHM JAMES HACK TUKE WILLIAM RANSOM J. S. SEWELL J. FYFE STEWART Indian Sub-Committee: WILLIAM BECK JOHN DIX OX HENRY S. XEWMAX ALBERT.). CROSFIELD HENRY HIPSI.EY JOHN B. TYLOR RULES OF THE FR IEN D S’ FOREIGN MISSION ASSOCIATION. 1.— That the name “ Friends’ Foreign Mission Association” be adopted. 2.— That its object is to aid the spread of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and Mission work abroad, chiefly by assisting such members of the Society of Friends, or those in profession with them, as are believed to be called of the Lord to this service. 3.— That all Annual Subscribers be members, and that a General Meeting be held annually at such time and place as London Yearly Meeting may appoint. 4.— That the business be transacted by an Executive Committee, to be appointed annually by the General Meeting, with power to choose a Treasurer and Secretaries. 5.—That Friends who feel it their duty to engage in Foreign Gospel service, or to reside abroad for educational purposes, may communicate with the Secretary, who shall bring the matter before the Committee. 6.— That the Executive Committee meet at such times and places as it may appoint, and the Secretary or any Sub- Committee shall have power to call a meeting thereof by circular to its members. FIFTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT. B o th in Madagascar and in India we have cause to magnify the goodness of the Lord of the harvest in providing for the needs of His work. Three friends have proceeded to Madagascar and one to India during the year to strengthen the ranks of the workers. Meetings on behalf of the Association have been held in an unusually large number of places in this country, and the interest in the work at home strengthened. Although the Treasurer’s accounts show a considerable amount overdrawn, the liberal contributions of £740 at the Annual Meeting show how cordially the work continues to be supported when its needs are known; but we would remind Friends generally that its develop­ ment and progress call for a corresponding increase in the rate of our subsciptions, and the enlistment of many new subscibers. MADAGASCAR. R epo rt of t h e S u b-C o m m it t e e . A n o th e k year has passed over the Mission, in some respects a time of quiet steady progress ; in others, of change and interruption consequent on the return of some of our friends from service in Mada­ gascar. The missionaries have for the most part been favoured with good health, and have been enabled to pursue their several labours with but little intermission. Our native helpers, whether teachers, evangelists, or printers, have continued to work with fidelity and earnestness. Although there has been considerable alteration in Government arrangements, our work has been but little inter­ fered with ; and, except that in Mandridrano there has been a severe visitation of small-pox, the health of the people has been better than in some previous years. These things have been favourable to the steady development of our work, and we look upon the year as having been a time of growth of which we trust the fruit will appear in its season. Our staff of missionaries has been somewhat reduced during the past year. In July, William Johnson left for this country, but not until after Herbert F. Standing and his wife had reached the capital to take up the work he was leaving. The health of Lucy A . Standing soon after arrival gave her friends some anxiety, but appears now to be well established, and she is able to take some share in the teaching of the Girls’ School. Towards the end of the year it appeared best for Samuel and Susan Clemes to leave Madagascar, after nearly nine years’ service ; and in January last they and their family arrived in this country. A few months after her return, Susan Clemes was suddenly called away, leaving her husband and three children to mourn her loss. Our Mission loses in her one who presented Christianity in a bright and cheerful aspect to the natives, and who strove to fulfil her day’s work in the day. She de­ voted a good deal of her time to teaching the women, to whom she was ever a kind and sympathizing friend. W e are also about to be deprived of the services of another member of the Mission, Annie Pumphrey, owing to her marriage with one of the agents of the London Missionary Society. She has been earnest and diligent in her calling during her three years’ connection with us. In the meantime our Mission staff will be re­ cruited by the return of William Wilson accompanied by his wife, and by the addition of Clara Herbert. They have all just started for Madagascar; the latter looking specially to work in connection with the Girls’ School at Faravohitra. Of the congregation at Ambohitantely, Samuel Clemes reports that while it is difficult to point to any particular thing as a sign of progress, it is evident on the whole that church life is growing more real, individuals are growing in knowledge of what Christianity is and demands ; and efforts are manifestly being made by many to come up to an ideal which is constantly rising. Since the repairs and alterations in the chapel have made things more comfortable, there has been a more regular attendance at the meetings on Sunday mornings and evenings, and the weekly Bible Class has been more appreciated and better attended than ever before. There have been few cases of church discipline, and in those few we have noticed a growing appreciation of the true objects of church life; there has been more earnest effort to restore and build up, and less tendency to show respect of persons than was formerly the case. Still much remains to be done. The Christians in Madagascar are still children in the faith, and will need careful and wise training by rightly qualified pastors for some time to come. Andrianony, the native pastor, is very diligent in the discharge of his duties, and possesses the respect and affection of most of the people. He seems to 8 be increasingly learning that the true pastor is meant above all to be “ an ensample to the flock.” His influence has been, and is decidedly in favour of free church life. There have been during the past year renewed attempts to bring the Malagasy churches under the direct control of the Govern­ ment, but these attempts have failed. It is pleasant to be able to record that our pastor and his colleagues have been amongst the most forward in opposing these attacks on the liberty of the church. Our country congregations, by a slight re-arrange­ ment reduced in number to 112, have been steadily maintained during the year, and efforts have been made to put them under more efficient oversight, especially in the further parts of the district. They are now arranged throughout in groups of Monthly and Four-months (or otherwise periodical) Meetings, and a Yearly Meeting of the whole was established in 1881. The people have kept up their interest in the Native Missionary Society, to which during the year they have subscribed the sum £4 12s. Od., mostly in bits of silver money of the value of half­ pence or pence. The work of elementary education has been going on quietly throughout the district, until the last few months, during which, owing to pressure used by the Government, there has been a con­ siderable influx of scholars.