RESULTS OF C.M.S. WORK IN UGANDA.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 28, Issue 12, 1 February 1938, Page 2

RESULTS OF C.M.S. WORK IN UGANDA.

Spiritual Revolution. The following is taken from the current issue of the "Uganda Church Review":— "What has happened to the Protestants?" is a question being asked by Indian storekeepers m the Ruanda district of the Belgian Congo. Money and goods stolen by native assistants are being returned, and long-stand-ing customers' debts are being paid up, as a result of the spiritual revolution which is sweeping through the stations of the Ruanda Mission. "By their fruits ye shall know them," and when the fruits of a movement dis-

play themselves m increased morality m everyday life, there is no need of further comment. JAPAN. Four fraternal delegates from the National Christian Council of Japan arrived recently to attend the eleventh Biennial meeting of the National Christian Council of China. These are: Rev. Y. Chiba, D.D., President Emeritus Kwanto Gakuin, Tokyo; Rev. A. Ebisawa, General Secretary, National Christian Council of Japan; Miss M. Kawai, Principal Keisen Girls' School, Tokyo; Rev. M. Kozaka, Pastor Reinenzaka Church, Tokyo. After the Council has adjourned, they expect to enter a. retreat with a number of Chinese Christians, with a view to discussing unity of spirit between Japanese and Chinese Christians. These fraternal delegates were introduced to and welcomed by the National Christian Council m session. MASS MOVEMENTS OF FORMER CENTURIES. "In the second period of the spread of Christianity, from the' sth to the 16th century," writes K. S. Latourette, m the International Review of Missions, "conversion was ;' almost entirely by communities. The prince usually led the way, and his people followed. Sometimes the king did not constrain his subjects to conform. Thus Clovis, after his baptism (c. A.D. 496), did not compel his Frankish warriors to do as he . had done. His example, however, proved contagious. Moreover, the Franks were a conquering " minority m a Gaul whose Romanized inhabitants were Christian largely as a result of mass movements m the fourth and fifth centuries. They, as barbarians, were inclined to adopt much, of the religion as well as the culture of their civilized subjects. "In the Anglo-Saxon kingdom the rulers seem not to have required their people to come with them. In at least one instance the king reached the decision to accept baptism only after consultation with the leading men of his realm. Presumably this was the process by which other matters of major community concern were decided. Then once the king " and his council had given their voice for the step, as a matter of custom the people followed.

"In Norway the king-missionaries used force. On coming with their Christian teachers to a particular section, they more than once met the local council, presented their purpose and gave the members the option of baptism or war. "In Hungary, King Stephen was the chief instrument m the winning of the Magyars, and, logically, became the patron saint of his people. "In the hands of Stephen, Christian missions were a means toward transforming the entire life of his people. The rough pagan nomads who had so recently been a threat to civilised Europe were made over by him into a state with a Western European faith and culture." ADULT LITERACY IN INDIA. In the month of July (1937) Adult Literacy conferences were held m five centres, at which 205 mission workers and 295 village Christians representing several villages interested m Adult Literacy were present, although July is one of the busiest months of the year. Three to four days were spent m each centre. At every conference there was the keenest interest m Adult Literacy. Over 1000 charts prepared, for adults were bought at these conferences. In Dornakal Pastorate one could see the village Christians going about with the charts m their waists or turbans. Vedanayakapuram has already asked for another teacher to assist m adult literacy work of the village. He is being fed by the villagers for his services. At Kiritapuram a village library has been started, and the literate young men are making good use of it. Semi-literates . are encouraged to read the Bible portions m their daily services. Thus they are improving their own reading. News arrived saying that the Christians who attended the conferences are helping the teachers m creating interest m their villages. One teacher told me that those who were taught by him returned with another new student the next day. Medithapalli and Manukota teachers resolved to interest their wives and semi-literates m the adult literacy of their vallages. Bandar and Bantumalli resolved to join hands and produce 500 literates by December next. Kallur teachers said that if the illiterates

did not go to them, they would hemselves go to their (illiterates) houses and teach them, and that they would teach non-Christians, so that they could read he Life of Christ for themselves. At Nagaram the leader of the converts (mostly from Golla caste) who became Christians under indescribable oppression and persecution, after hearing about adult literacy, said: "I and my village do want it. As one gifted m story-telling, I used to attract hundreds by narrating Mahabharata and Ramayana stories, but now I shall learn to read and attract thousands by narrating the life of our Saviour." Miss Van Doren spent a day at Vedanayakapuram, where there is a very" lively interest m adult literacy. She writes: "I visited Vedanayakapuram on Sunday, August 29th, 1937. In the afternoon I saw something of the work m adult literacy. It was inspiring to see nearly the whole village learning, the pupils varying m age from 10 years to 80. Wives are teaching husbands and children are teaching parents. The work is very encouraging, and I hope that it may continue and grow." One cattle-boy taught four others m the grazing grounds.