Glendale Mission, South Africa
By Elsie G. Gibson
Many of the readers of the REVIEW have never had mission experiences, but as it is by their sacrifices that this work is carried on, they are entitled to glimpses of mission life; so we shall invite them to spend Friday and Sabbath at Glendale Mission. It is just daylight, and all is quiet. A door opens, and the morning call rings out in the native language, “Morning dawns; get up!” There is no appeal from this. Almost before we are ready, we hear, “Come on, boys,” and all scatter to their various duties. The milk buckets rattle, smoke begins to rise, but the majority are up the hill, where the walls of the new brick mission house are slowly rising. Every one is busy till 10:30 A. M., when the week’s work is over, and all are hungry for breakfast. After the morning meal is finished, the Sabbath preparations begin. The natives spend the day in washing, ironing, mending, and bathing. Soon after noon two of the older boys ask for passes to a kraal seven miles away. They look clean and tidy. We know they are good representatives to send to their people. They will stay at the kraal Friday night, and have a meeting early Sabbath morning. As the sun sets, all gather outside the huts for social meeting, and we hear those who were recently in heathen darkness praising God for bringing them to the light. Sabbath morning after breakfast, old Jack, the big donkey, is saddled, and Mr. Gibson sets off with a few boys, one running behind with a whip to insure speed. They are bound for kraals eleven miles away. Or if it is Brother Sparrow’s Sabbath to visit the kraals, we hear a stir outside at daybreak, and we know he has had a lunch, and is off to hold meetings at kraals eight miles away. Several boys go with him. Those who are left spend a quiet forenoon with their books. About 1 P. M. we begin to look for the absent workers. They come by twos and threes, dusty, tired, and wet with perspiration. After a rest and dinner, we have Sabbath school. And then come the reports of those who went out to give the message. As we add up the attendance at the kraal meetings, it comes to two hundred nearly every Sabbath. The sunset hymn marks the close of another day’s work for Jesus. “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.” “By and by the harvest and the labor ended, we shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.”