Tradissionary

Cannibals devour them; lions and tigers pounce upon them, claw and maul them to bits. They elbow their way through dense jungles, visiting and converting little pygmies and big black bucks. They fall ill of dread and curious diseases. From home they receive boxes of worn-out dresses, aprons, old hats, old pants for the natives. Chieftains salute them; witch-doctors harry them. Thus, traditionally, missionaries.

Faithful to the oldtime tradition is the life of 78-year-old Dr. John Kelly Giffen, -- oldest missionary in point of service in the United Presbyterian Church. From New York last week he sailed for Africa to begin his $1st year in the Egyptian Sudan. White-haired, bearded, grey-eyed, he was cosily reminiscent upon departing. He recalled his first trip in 1881, when the Mahdists were stirring up revolt against Egypt. Fanatic Mussulmen killed General Charles George ("Chinese") Gordon in 1885; the late great Lord Horatio Herbert Kitchener subdued them, captured the city of Omdurman. Young Dr. Giffen was there. After pacifying the country, the British temporarily barred missionaries. Dr. Giffen and his wife left Omdurman, found a tribe 400 mi. to the south called the Shullaks. ''They were all over six feet, and the only people I ever had to look up to, always. We had considerable difficulties with the language at first. . . . Tribal custom called for the removal of the four front teeth of all adults. Consequently, they lisp almost everything they say." Soon, nevertheless, Dr. Giffen erected a mission, organized a school, translated two gospels and baptized 600 lisping Shullaks.

1African missionaries may propagate the Faith today with very little fear of animals or natives. Tropical disease is now less to be feared than overwork and climate. Average length of service: 15 to 20 years. But Missionary Giffen and his wife recall that seven years was the average in their time. And that was a generous estimate; Mrs. Giffen could think of many men who had been unable to endure --Dr. Scott, Dr. Tidrick. "But it isn't quite fair to count Dr. Tidrick," said Missionary Giffen. "Dr. Tidrick was killed by a lion."--

Only four times has Dr. Giffen visited the U. S. since he settled in the Sudan. In 1922 he was elected moderator of his church's general assembly. So unused had he become to the ways of U. S. Presbyterians that once, at a mission conference in Pittsburgh, he arose to give the benediction, got halfway through it before he realized he was speaking Arabic.

--Xot to be confused with his nephew, President James Kelly Giffen of Knoxville College (Tenn.). --In South Africa last September, Missionary Myron Taylor was killed by a lion (TIME, Sept. 28). Rev. John Walter Vinson, Presbyterian missionary in China since 1907, was last week kidnapped, stabbed, decapitated by bandits who had looted his chapel and burned part of the town of Wansjiagieh (see p. 22).

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