AMILLION FOR MISSIONS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 6918, 29 January 1901, Page 4

AMILLION FOR MISSIONS.

WONDERFUL BEQUESTS OF A LEEDS MILLIONAIRE.

. Some account has already been given in the Daily Mail of the strange life of Leed's late millionaire recluse, Eobert Arthiijgton, but the provisions of the millionaire's will are still more curious They provide for the spread of the Gospel to the uttermost ends of the world. A tenth of the estate goes to first cousins^ etc. The other niae-tenths or the better part of a million is divided between the ■Baptist Missionary Society of London and the London Missionary Society, the former having five-tenths and the latter four-tenths. There will be nine trustees of each of these huge bequests. The societies are to apply the money in 'uncontrolled discretion " for the purpose of spreading the knowledge of God's word among the heathen, excluding Mahonmaedan populations," who are left to the Bible Societies. The' Free Church of Scotland Mission Society, to which £2,000 is left, is to deal with India. The will directs that if practicable the money shall be spent in giving to every tribe of mankind that has them not, and which speaks a language distinct from all others, accurate copies of at least the Gospels of St. Joha and St. Luke and the book of Acts of the Apostles printed in the tribes' language and in teaching at least ten or a dozen persons of each such tribe to read. If possible a converted tribe shall bo urged to evangelise others. " But it is my wish that everywhere in all Africa, in South America, in Central America, in Asia, in the South Sea Islands, and in the Indian Archipelago all tribes and great populations destitute of the Gospels and in print should by some means be reached promptly—the actual heathen first -and put m possession of the Gospels, outward, indeed, it may be if only in print but available to some if God shall give them repentance and faith." Briefly the will suggests the mapping out of the parts o, the world unreached by the Gospel, and the early distribution of the Scriptures among them. And for this purpose it provides the better part of a million of money !