Nyasaland by AMY J. HURLOW

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 24, 1916

Nyasaland

By AMY J. HURLOW

AMY J. HURLOW

I AM glad to tell you that we have reached the mission at Malamulo safely, and are gradually getting into mission life. We have now been here a fortnight, and are perfectly well in spite of our long trip in the heat.

Soon after leaving the boat we passed from Portuguese to British territory, and at Port Herald, when passing the customs, had to answer a good many questions. “Are you connected in any way with the leaders of the Nyasaland uprising?”—“No.” “Have you had any correspondence with them?”—“No.” Mr. Hurlow was very emphatic in these two answers. “Are you Seventh-day Adventists?”—“Yes.” “Are you British?”—“Yes.” We are allowed to pass, and we breathe a silent prayer of thankfulness, for we should not like to be sent back now that we are so near the end of our journey.

We find Malamulo Mission is a large station in a splendid position, with plenty of flowers, fruit, and vegetables, and best of all, a good work going on among the natives. The teachers’ training school, which has been in session the last two months, has closed today, September 28. The outschools had their long holiday, and all the teachers came to the mission to receive further instruction. Some brought their wives, so a meeting on Bible hygiene was held every morning for these women.

For the teachers themselves, each day was full of work. The bell rang at five-thirty each morning, and at six they met for morning worship in the schoolhouse (which is also the church). From that time till about 8:30 P. M. they were busy, studying to make themselves better teachers and better followers of Christ. There were about sixty teachers in the training school, and they seem very earnest young men. A number of them speak English a little, though they understand it better than they can speak it. Two or three head teachers who remain on the mission act as interpreters at meetings, etc., and they do it splendidly. They are good, faithful boys, and work well.

Last Sabbath we had a baptismal service, Brother Ellingworth officiating; twenty-eight were baptized. Some were students, and some were assistant teachers. They stood in a long row on the bank of the stream, first the women, then the married couples, then the men and boys. The wife of a native teacher, a good Christian woman, helped the women out of the water, and a native teacher helped the men; everything was done just as at a white people’s baptism. The singing and the praying were in the Man’ganja language, the people all joining in heartily.

On Sunday we celebrated the ordinances in the church. The new members were received, also Miss Fourie, Mr. Hurlow, and myself. It was good to join in the ordinances. The women all seemed to understand their meaning. Two native head teachers acted as deacons, and carried round the bread and wine. One could not find a quieter, more reverent and earnest congregation anywhere, and the church was full. Brethren Robinson and Ellingworth officiated.

Today, the last day of school, there was a wedding, when one of the teachers was married to one of the mission girls. Miss Edie and I were appointed to decorate the church, but when we arrived we found the bridegroom’s colleagues were already there, and, according to their ideas of decoration, were doing very well. You should have seen the result! With a little advice and assistance from Miss Edie and myself, order was brought out of confusion, and the room made to look very nice. After the wedding, food was served to all the teachers and their wives, also to the villagers and headmen who were present. These people seem to know when anything of interest is going to occur at the mission, and they are sure to be present in large numbers.

Tonight Brother Robinson is sending the teachers off to the schools in their respective villages. May the blessing of the Lord go with them, and help them to shine as lights in dark places till the day dawns.