Sherbro, West Africa by D. C. Babcock

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 30, 1910

Sherbro, West Africa

By D. C. Babcock

D. C. BABCOCK

FORMERLY Sherbro was separate and distinct from the colony of Sierra Leone, but a few years ago they were united and brought under one government. Bonthe, the chief town of Sherbro, is about one hundred miles from Freetown, and up the Sherbro River from the coast fifty miles. The country is low for many miles around Bonthe, and with sandy soil the dry season becomes exceedingly hot. For more than two years we have been planning for a tent effort at this place, but the work there has been thwarted.

Brother W. W. Randell [in the picture standing at the extreme left], our faithful canvasser, whose hair is white with years, went to Sherbro in September, 1909, and has sold many of our books and papers. He has also distributed several thousand pages of our small tracts. Thus the field was prepared for us.

On February 17, Brethren Harding and Buah, Sister Bidwell, Mrs. Babcock, and the writer, left Freetown for Bonthe, to begin work in our forty-by-sixty-foot tent.

Our steamer lifted anchor at midnight, February 17, and early next morning we learned that the ship was out of her proper course. The steamer was moving slowly, when suddenly we felt a severe shock, and the vessel came to a standstill, perched upon a rock about ten miles out at sea. At ten o'clock we shifted from the rock to a sand-bank, and there remained for two days, which seemed very dreary to us.

We were thankful to our Heavenly Father the following Monday morning, on reaching Bonthe, to set our feet once more on land. We were soon located, and began at once to pitch and seat our tent.

Friday evening, March 25, our meetings opened with a crowded tent, and many were unable even to get near enough to hear. Everything was ripe for the message. In the very first meeting, while I was outlining the subjects to be taken up, a gentleman arose and asked for the Sabbath question. We were forced rapidly from point to point in the message, and in a little over three weeks the principal points of the truth had been given to the people. The message was largely presented from questions handed in.

Very little opposition was offered except by the Catholics. The Lord blessed the effort. We formed two visiting companies, and each day visited from house to house, and distributed tracts and papers. It will take some time to learn just how many will be faithful to the message. More than fifty expressed their confidence in the truth at one of our meetings. We are confident that a good company will be raised up at Bonthe.

This is an excellent point from which to enter the hinterland, five navigable rivers emptying into the Sherbro River at Bonthe. These rivers extend far into the interior, and all the territory is thickly populated by the Mendi and Sherbro tribes.

Urgent invitations were given us to open stations up these rivers. At the close of one of our meetings, an old, white-haired man came up to me, and said, “My heart is touched with this message. Won’t you come to my village and tell us these things?” A woman came down four days’ journey, and visited us twice at our home. She urged us to start our work up the river where she lives. On another river a sister seventy-four years old from the Freetown church has been canvassing. She returned last week, and told of a good interest there. From all these rivers there are urgent calls for this message. Where are the men to answer them? They must be workers who can speak the Mendi.

My heart aches when I look at our boys in school, and think how long it will be before they will be ready to fill these places. May the Lord raise up mature men, who will be able to take up the work now. We must have men and means from some source.

One young man has accepted the truth at Bonthe, and I hope he may soon be able to answer one of these calls. The expense will not be large to open a station in the interior, if we use native help, which we must do. It means hard work, and strong faith in God, to enter such three fields. Heathenism is on every hand, and with it cannibalism. We ask again, Shall Africa wait? We appeal to our brethren and sisters to send us help. Do not let the millions in West Africa wait longer.

We are in great need of medical aid. Our workers need rest and rational treatment. The Lord has marvelously preserved the health of our people, but at times some tremble on the brink. We earnestly appeal to our people for medical help before it is too late. While you enjoy your pleasant homes, with sanitariums all around you, we ask for only small treatment-rooms for all of West Africa.

Freetown

On our return to Freetown, we were glad to find the work moving along nicely. The Lord continues his blessing to this company. Last Sabbath the church was well filled, and several new faces were noticed in the congregation. Brother R. P. Dauphin is holding special meetings for the Yimni tribe each Sabbath afternoon. Good results are already realized, and some are preparing for baptism. Brother W. H. Lewis and family have suffered some with fever, but they are up again.

Waterloo

Prof. T. M. French sends us good word from the work there. The school is moving on successfully, and new students are added weekly. Several are awaiting baptism. We hope to complete the church and school building early in April, and that will add much to our work at Waterloo, and also reduce expenses. A minister has accepted the truth there.

Gold Coast

Good word comes to us from the work on the Gold Coast. Brother C. E. F. Thompson writes that others have accepted the message at Axim. While they have many difficulties to encounter, their courage is good. Brother A. C. Ackah sends encouraging reports from the Apollonian coast. Two more villages are erecting school buildings, and they ask us to come and help them. In one of these villages, the chief has accepted the Sabbath. We are all of good courage in the Lord.

Freetown.