With reference to the assumption of Civil Jurisdiction, which brought one or two East African Missions under public notice, I have said little except where any incident illustrated Mission difficulties or African customs, and on this subject I must refer the reader to Missionary Magazines—in particular the _Missionary Review_ for 1882. But lest I should appear indifferent on the matter, I may, without obtruding the subject, introduce one or two remarks calculated to benefit the youthful Missionary. Such a man is generally full of zeal and enthusiasm, and the last thing in the world that he fears is the danger of being confronted with misrepresentation or doubtful diplomacy. But such a danger is possible—it is one thing to go to the heat as the servant of the Lord, and quite a different thing to go as the agent of a Committee. While Mission Directors incur some risk by setting up a Civil Jurisdiction, the real danger falls upon the agents they employ. If any of these agents say, “I am here commanded to act as a judge or a chief, I am perfectly aware this is a difficult task, but I am bound to do my best to obey,” he soon finds he is greatly blamed: and, on the other hand, when a man reasons, “My superiors have set up a strange organisation here. But these men are the great Leaders of the Church. They have been studying Missionary methods before I was born. I have no doubt they understand their plan. But I cannot understand it: I must leave it entirely alone and devote all my attention to Spiritual work,”—condemnation as certainly follows. Again, when an ordained Minister becomes a Missionary, he is held to lay aside his ministerial _status_ and become the agent of a committee, while a Licentiate who is set apart for work among the heathen is “ordained” in the same sense as a beadle may be said to be ordained—he may talk of “magnifying his office,” but he holds it only during the pleasure of a committee who, after he has performed his duties most diligently, may with the greatest complacency, turn him forth to starve! Such are some of the difficulties that are thoughtlessly thrown in the way of Mission work. There is, however, a more pleasant side to contemplate. I desire to say with emphasis:—“Savage tribes are _not_ difficult to get on with, Heathendom is _not_ an unpromising field,” and such is the experience, I think, of all Missionaries as they go forward, believing that “He shall have the heathen for His heritage, and the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession!” I have pleasure in acknowledging that for several of the illustrations I am indebted to the courtesy of the Rev. H. Rowley, the talented author of the Story of the Universities’ Mission to Central Africa. CONTENTS OF VOL. I. N.B.—_The figures and letters in brackets refer to the sections (and not to the pages)._ PAGE INTRODUCTORY.