p. 13 | The Problem of Africa by Douglas Thornton

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Aug 27, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 35.

The Problem of Africa.

By Douglas Thornton

There are about 1,200 European and 250 American missionaries to the continent. Of this number perhaps one-half are, from various reasons, a working force. These are distributed as follows: North Africa, one Protestant missionary to 125,000 Mohammedans; the Sahara, one to 2,500,000 Mohammedans; the Soudan States, one to 45,000,000 Mohammedans and pagans; West Africa, one to 50,000 pagans; Central Africa, one to 80,000 pagans; Southern Africa, one to 14,000 pagans.

Again: These missionaries are thus far equipped with the Word of God. There are twelve African Bibles in circulation, besides the English, Dutch, French, and Italian Bibles, which are also widely understood. There are thirty-one completed New Testaments, and ninety-eight Bible versions; that is to say, one or more translated books of the Bible. With these agencies all Southern Africa and most of Northern Africa could be evangelized AT ONCE were men of God forthcoming. In central Africa the Swahli, Ganda, and Nbunda Bibles can already reach many millions. And when the Hausa Bible is completed, fifteen millions of people in the great Soudan States could be evangelized. The neediest districts seem to be Morocco, Egyptian and French Soudan, the regions of the Upper Nile and Kongo, and numberless tribes in Western Africa. Can not more Americans join hands with European pioneers, and together penetrate some of these inland regions without delay? I leave it with you to settle in the presence of our God.—Douglas Thornton.