Among the Churches and Missions of South Africa
By R. C. Porter
The past three months I have spent chiefly with the churches in the Natal Conference, the Orange River Colony, and among the missions. I met Elder J. N. Loughborough at Durban on his arrival from Australia, and we there began a tour of the churches of South Africa. Elder Loughborough stood the journey from Australia remarkably well. He has gained ten pounds since landing in Australia from America, and his health is excellent. He reported ready for work at once, so we began meetings without delay at Bellair and Durban. From there we left for Maritzburg, in the midst of a great railway strike. The Lord so overruled that our journey was not hindered. After a pleasant and profitable meeting at that place, we visited the Dutch churches in the Orange River Colony. En route we were led to praise the Lord on account of his special providences. At Ladysmith the strikers were assuming so threatening an attitude that the railway officials were uncertain as to the possibility of passing them with our train. They added a push engine to the rear of our train, then ran back so as to get under rapid motion before it left the station, and thus we swept swiftly by the danger point. We had written the Heisterbach church that we were coming, and also sent a telegram several days in advance of our starting, in order to make sure of being met at the station. The members of the church live fifteen miles from the station, and the mail service is not good, so they failed to receive notice of our coming. The Lord knew of our plans, however, and he had it arranged so that we were met. The elder of the church came to meet his wife, who was returning on the same train from a visit, and a sister who was canvassing in the town had come in that day with a team to make her delivery of books, and so they were providentially prepared to carry us and our luggage home with them. This church and the Wilgehoek church manifested great interest in the meetings. The brethren came as far as sixty miles, with their families, and remained through the meetings. The brethren living eight miles from the place of meeting would come in for the early morning meeting before breakfast, and remain all day. It was a real pleasure to labor for a people who were so appreciative. From this meeting Elders E. R. Williams and I went to visit the Kolo Mission in Basutoland, while Elder Loughborough went on to Johannesburg alone. We were much pleased with the work being accomplished through the sale of literature from the Basutoland Mission station. The last letter from Brother M. E. Emmerson states that a deep interest is being awakened on the Sabbath question. The natives are asking the other missionaries about the subject, and as the result they have given Brother Emmerson notice that he will have to either come over to them or leave the field, as they say our literature is undoing all that they have done in many years. Brother Emmerson kindly informed them of our message and work, and told them that his mission forbade his accepting either of the propositions they had made. Brother Emmerson is working carefully, but here, as in America, where our literature goes, it does its work and creates a stir. O that the world could be filled with it speedily, and as the leaves of autumn! The work at the Maranatha Mission is still progressing. Elders W. S. Hyatt and F. B. Armitage are planning in the near future to go out to hold a series of meetings wherever there is a native interest, and undertake to develop a church, as we do among the Americans and Colonials. We next spent a few days at Bloemfontein. Here we found Sister Furks, who is superintendent of the state normal school for the Orange River Colony, rejoicing in the truth. One other teacher and one student in the institution are also living the truth. A man who has been prominent in official work in the city, and whose wife has been a faithful missionary worker for some years, has recently accepted the faith. They all expressed great appreciation of the meetings that we were able to hold with them. A good work is being done in this vicinity, and also near Wilgehoek, for the natives. About forty are keeping the Sabbath in these two places, and others are interested. Most of this work is the result of faithful missionary work and the consistent lives of the members. From here we went to Kimberley, where Elder Williams joined Elder Loughborough to visit the churches in the Cape Colony Conference, while Mrs. Porter joined me for a visit to the mission stations in Rhodesia. A report of this part of our trip will be given later.