Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 3, 1888, Part II
No. 1112.
Mr. Cardwell to Mr. Rives.
Cairo, Egypt , March 10, 1888. (Received April 2.)
Sir: Having made reference more than once to the importance of the American missions in Egypt as an educating agency, and to the propriety of extending this interest the most perfect protection, I beg-to call your attention to a publication, herewith inclosed, which demonstrates its importance and magnitude.
I am, etc.,
American Mission, Egypt, 1887.
This mission was begun in November, 1854, by the Rev. T. McCague.
Its present staff of foreign missionaries consists of 11 ordained missionaries, 1 physician, 10 unmarried female missionaries, 10 married ladies; total, 32.
The mission carries on its work in three departments, which may be called the evangelistic, the educational, and the book distribution.
The evangelistic department.
Ordained pastors | 10 | Places in which nightly meetings are held | 66 |
Licensed preachers | 7 | Church members, December 31, 1887 | 2,307 |
Bible readers and exhorters | 18 | Increase of members by profession | 384 |
Theological students | 5 | Women taking lessons | 455 |
Elders | 41 | Scholars in Sabbath-school | 4,338 |
Deacons | 38 | Lesson papers distributed | 120,000 |
Zenana workers | 20 | Amount Sabbath-school collections | £48 |
Sabbath-school teachers | 240 | Amount contributed by natives for religious purpose in 1887 | £1,189 |
Organized congregations | 25 | ||
Congregations with pastors | 13 | ||
Other preaching stations | 63 |
Book department.
Depots and employés. | No. | Character of books distributed. | Volumes. | Proceeds. |
Book depots | 8 | Scriptures | 10.269 | £515 |
Salesmen in same | 8 | Religious | 6,929 | 197 |
Colporteurs | 15 | Educational | 16,411 | 821 |
Total | 33,609 | 1,533 | ||
Stationery | 79 | |||
Total | 1,612 |
This mission only keeps in its depots books for its own needs and does not do a general book business. The cost of the department is much more than the proceeds of sales.
Educational department.
Pupils. | |||
One college at Assiout | 311 | ||
One school for boys at– | |||
Cairo | 450 | ||
Mansura | 111 | ||
Alexandria | 134 | ||
Total | 1,006 | ||
One boarding and day school for girls at Assiout | 69 | ||
One boarding and day school for girls in Cairo | 253 | ||
Two day schools for girls in Cairo | 537 | ||
One day school for girls in Mansura | 101 | ||
One day school for girls in Alexandria | 160 | ||
Total | 1,120 | ||
Total boys and girls enrolled in mission schools | 2,126 | ||
Pupils in 71 native schools taught by teachers trained in American mission schools and under Protestant influence, all of which are self-supporting— | |||
Boys | 2,823 | ||
Girls | 639 | ||
3,462 | |||
Total number of pupils | 5,588 |
Of this number 1,759 are girls and 3,829 are boys. The religions of these pupils are as follows: 960 Protestants, 3,443 Copts, 717 Moslems, 45 Roman Catholics, 116 Greeks, 144 Jews, 157 of various other sects. As to nationality, 5,308 are Egyptians and 280 of other nations. The pupils paid for boarding about £510 and for instruction £2,130.
The number of pupils who paid something was 3,882; free, 1,806.
[Page 1634]The work of the mission extends from Alexandria to Assouan, and entails a large expenditure. After deducting all receipts from the natives for congregational and school purposes the expense in 1887 was £7,600. New places are calling, some for schools, others for preachers. The mission would gladly respond did its financial condition permit. If any one has a desire to aid us in any department of the work we would thankfully accept a helping hand. Contributions or donations may be given to any one of the missionaries and will be acknowledged in the annual report.
The mission gratefully acknowledges the generous aid of the American Bible Society and the British and Foreign Bible Society in Bible distribution, and also various donations from friends and travelers, all of which will appear in detail in our annual report.
By order of the Missionary Association.