p. 10 | A Missionary Conference in West Africa

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 28, 1914

A Missionary Conference in West Africa

By L. R. CONRADI

L. R. CONRADI

DECEMBER 2-11 was the date set for the missionary conference at Freetown, West Africa. All our white and native workers took part, and our students came down from Waterloo. Brother Garbrah, our teacher on the Gold Coast, arrived December 2, and December 6 Brother Babcock with his family returned from America. Our two large buildings in Freetown gave us ample room for this meeting. Our program consisted of social meeting at 6 A. M.,

workers’ prayer meeting at 8:30, Bible study at 9:30, conference meeting at 11, committee meeting from 2 to 5 P. M., and sermon in the evening at the chapel.

The following resolutions were considered and unanimously adopted:—

“Whereas, The Lord has graciously spared the lives of our workers and granted a degree of prosperity to our work by increased numbers of believers and added facilities, therefore,—

“1. Resolved, That we render our heartfelt thanks to our Heavenly Father for these blessings, and invoke his future blessings upon our efforts.

“2. Resolved, That the West African Mission extend its sincere thanks to the Mission Board at Washington for its great help rendered in men and means during past years.

“3. Everywhere we behold souls bound down in heathen darkness, and unoccupied territory inviting us to enter. In view of this crying need, we fix our future policy as follows:—

“a. To give our chief attention to the preaching of the everlasting gospel.

“b. To extend as fast as possible our work into the unoccupied hinterland.

“c. To select two sufficiently large districts in the hinterland, and place in charge of each a white missionary with a number of native assistants, these districts to be if possible in the Mendi and Timme countries.

“d. That as quickly as possible an efficient white worker be located on the Gold Coast, as we are otherwise in danger of losing what we have thus far secured.

“e. That we consider favorably the call of brethren in Liberia to locate an efficient worker there.”

Professor French gave an interesting report of the school work at Waterloo, stating that thirty-one had been in the boarding school and sixty in the day school. During the year their school building had been finished and better equipped. Brother Lewis gave an encouraging report concerning the factory, stating that their gains for the past year had amounted to $567.23. Dr. Myers reported that he had given 974 treatments during the year, and received $199.67 for them. Brother Dauphin gave an encouraging account of the work at Matotoka, saying that several were already interested. He also spoke of his visit to Liberia, and of some there who are anxious to have more work done for them by us. Brother Harding reported the establishment of the work at Gbangbama, that they had eight in their school, and several were keeping the Sabbath. Brother Barbrah reported from the Gold Coast that twenty-five persons were baptized at Kickham last year.

It was also recommended that British West Africa be divided into three separate fields: (1) Sierra Leone, including Liberia; (2) Gold Coast; (3) Nigeria. There was also quite a discussion concerning the standard of our workers and of our educational work. Credentials and licenses were granted to each field separately. Sierra Leone will have for the present one ordained minister, two licentiates, eight Bible workers, and one canvasser. The Gold Coast has one ordained minister, one licentiate, and two Bible workers. Nigeria has two ordained ministers and one licentiate. Three mission churches were then organized in Nigeria, Gold Coast, and Sierra Leone. Besides these, we have a regular church at Waterloo and at Freetown, and also at Kickham, Gold Coast. We looked carefully into the church rolls and found that the membership stood as follows: Canary Islands, 2; Gold Coast, 75; Sierra Leone, 83; Nigeria, 5—a total of 165.

In our committee meeting it was decided that Brother Babcock take charge of the work in Nigeria, Brother Lewis of the work on the Gold Coast, and that Brethren Myers, French, Lewis, Hartley, and During be the committee for Sierra Leone. Since Professor French has been forced to resign on account of his wife’s health, Elder Greaves, who was in charge of the Grecian Mission, has been appointed to take charge of the Sierra Leone field and of the Waterloo school. It was also voted to sell our Freetown property, but to hold the chapel building, and retain only a small amount for the securing of a lot and the erection of a small dwelling there.

Sabbath, December 13, was a good day. Brethren Lewis and Dauphin were ordained to the ministry, and Dr. Myers to the eldership of the mission church. Brother Babcock and the writer had several visits with the commissioner of public works, the colonial secretary, and the governor of the colony, and they expressed themselves especially well pleased with our industrial school at Waterloo. A good price has been granted us for our mission properties, which will enable us to put up good stations in the hinterland of Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and the Gold Coast.

On the sixteenth we were in Waterloo once more, settling a number of matters here with regard to the school and church. December 18 I again embarked on the “Lucie Wormann,” reaching Teneriffe the twenty-third, where Brother Aldrich again met me, and we had quite a visit together. After reaching the Bay of Biscay, we had some rather rough weather, so that our steamer reached Southampton one day late, December 30. Expecting that it would be still worse on the North Sea, and having to leave home January 1 for the Rhenish conference, I left the boat at Southampton and reached Hamburg the next evening. Crossing the Channel by way of Flushing, we experienced very rough weather indeed.

I much enjoyed my trip to West Africa, which gave me an excellent opportunity to become acquainted with the field and the workers. Only a small beginning has been made. A few churches have been established in Sierra Leone and on the Gold Coast. A number of native workers have been educated, and are ready to join our white missionaries in entering the interior and opening up mission work among the heathen tribes. But we shall need more white missionaries as leaders, more appropriations, and more of the power of God. The people who already have been gathered out need greater consecration, more faithfulness in giving, and more of the missionary spirit. Then, in a little while we shall see these large English colonies on the West Coast lighted up with the glow of the message.