". . . The milder type of Islam is being replaced by the more rigid and aggressive. Islam has rendered void the Christianity that once reigned from the Pillars of Hercules to the Indian Ocean; and going beyond, has, century by century pushed its way across the Sahara, throughout the Soudan, and down the East Coast, until more than half the continent is in its grasp. The grasp to-day is as fresh, warm and greedy as ever. . . ."
The following paper was read before the Baptist Ministers’ Conference of Boston and vicinity. It aroused so much interest that a committee was raised at once to secure the publication of the paper in a pamphlet that could be put into the hands of all students for the ministry and of pastors as well. It was believed that the facts herein set forth should be known and pondered by those upon whom specially rests the prosecution of Christian work at home and abroad. It was felt, also, that the presentation of the real nature of the struggle between Christianity and the oppugnant forces of Islamism and paganism, would stimulate Christian men to deeper thought and more earnest endeavor in the crisis of the Congo Mission.
It would be interesting to know whether any man in the Northern Baptist Convention had a wider denominational acquaintance than Lemuel C. Barnes. During his fourteen years of service as Field Secretary of the Home Mission Society he traveled extensively in all sections of the United States; has studied all phases of home mission activity; has attended eve state convention and has addressed hundreds of associations. There were relatively few Baptist pastors who did not know him personally. Another fact in Dr. Barnes' career merits special mention. Dr. Barnes was a native of Ohio, a graduate of Kalamazoo College and of Newton Theological Institution. He began his ministry in 1878 with the First Church of St. Paul. From 1882 to 1887 he served the Fourth Church of Pittsburgh, and again from 1893 to 1902.
Barnes concludes: "Whether Islam is to be the religion of Africa — the rest of Africa — or not, depends as much on the response of the young business men and students who are members of our churches at the present hour as on any other equal number of men on the globe."
The following paper was read before the Baptist Ministers’ Conference of Boston and vicinity. It aroused so much interest that a committee was raised at once to secure the publication of the paper in a pamphlet that could be put into the hands of all students for the ministry and of pastors as well. It was believed that the facts herein set forth should be known and pondered by those upon whom specially rests the prosecution of Christian work at home and abroad. It was felt, also, that the presentation of the real nature of the struggle between Christianity and the oppugnant forces of Islamism and paganism, would stimulate Christian men to deeper thought and more earnest endeavor in the crisis of the Congo Mission.
It would be interesting to know whether any man in the Northern Baptist Convention had a wider denominational acquaintance than Lemuel C. Barnes. During his fourteen years of service as Field Secretary of the Home Mission Society he traveled extensively in all sections of the United States; has studied all phases of home mission activity; has attended eve state convention and has addressed hundreds of associations. There were relatively few Baptist pastors who did not know him personally. Another fact in Dr. Barnes' career merits special mention. Dr. Barnes was a native of Ohio, a graduate of Kalamazoo College and of Newton Theological Institution. He began his ministry in 1878 with the First Church of St. Paul. From 1882 to 1887 he served the Fourth Church of Pittsburgh, and again from 1893 to 1902.
Barnes concludes: "Whether Islam is to be the religion of Africa — the rest of Africa — or not, depends as much on the response of the young business men and students who are members of our churches at the present hour as on any other equal number of men on the globe."
