West Africa’s Appeal by T. M. French

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Mar 30, 1911

West Africa’s Appeal

By T. M. French

T. M. FRENCH

For more than five years the Lord has signally blessed our work in West Africa, and it has seemed as if success would at last attend our efforts in this difficult field. The health of our workers has been miraculously preserved by our Heavenly Father. This blessing has resulted in steady progress of various lines of the third angel’s message. Churches have been raised up in Sierra Leone and in the Gold Coast colonies, that reflect the light of this glorious message. Schools have been established, where the young are being trained to bear the banner of Prince Emmanuel. Books and tracts bearing the truth for this time have been scattered here and there. The Lord has signally blessed these means of extending his truth.

Our workers have labored untiringly to further the cause of this last gospel message to a perishing people, little realizing that their energy was almost spent in this unhealthful field. And, too, we have felt that our hands were being upheld by the prayers of our people in the home land, as in the experience of Moses in the wilderness conflict. This thought has encouraged us to press forward. But as I stood beside my dying companion a few days ago, and realized that my own strength was fast failing, in my perplexity my mind turned to my brethren and sisters at home, who have so nobly supported this cause by their prayers and by their means; and the thought came to me, “Have they let go the hands?” And again, as word came to me of our workers being stricken down with sickness in Sierra Leone, the question came forcibly to me, “What can this crisis mean? Have our dear people forgotten to hold up the hands over the armies of Israel?”

We appeal to our people at home to immediately support the languishing hands of our workers in this dark land, where the forces of evil are so strongly entrenched. Gladly would the arch-deceiver again baffle the efforts to plant the banner of Christ in these heathen strongholds. Brethren and sisters, seek God earnestly in behalf of his cause in West Africa.