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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 30, 1909

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 86, No. 39.

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West Africa

By T. M. FRENCH

T. M. FRENCH
The third angel's message is onward in West Africa. We are often reminded that the One who never sleeps is directing this last great movement of the everlasting gospel.
Three have just accepted the truth at Waterloo, Sierra Leone, under the efforts of Brother R. P. Dauphin; and Brother C. E. F. Thompson reports three new Sabbath-keepers at Axim, Gold Coast. About two or three weeks ago I visited our mission school at Waterloo, holding examinations, and met with the church. I found a good, healthy growth in both the church and school.
About the first of this year there developed such a demand for our tracts in Freetown that it was thought advisable to raise a tract fund here in the church. I called the church committee together, and laid the matter before them, and it was decided to raise such a fund and place a special order for tracts for use by the church-members. In ordering, I more than doubled the order for our tract society, so we would not be short. The tracts were promptly shipped to us, and as I was unpacking ten thousand tracts on “Who Changed It?” and “What Shall Be the Sign?” the thought came to me that we had enough of these two cheap, yet pointed leaflets for one to every six persons in Freetown. I couldn’t get away from the thought that there should be a general distribution of these tracts.
Accordingly, the next Sunday a campaign was organized, in which nearly thewhole church took part, distributing about six thousand tracts, or twenty-four thousand pages, bearing present truth to the people. The work has been followed with systematic house-to-house work with other of our tracts and papers, until our supply of literature is exhausted. We have now opened cottage meetings, which are held each Sunday, our brethren and sisters conducting them.
The result of our united effort with our literature can be seen on every hand. The city seems stirred over the Sabbath question, even the children are discussing it. Last week the students of the U. W. F. church, at the Tabernacle, gave a public discussion of the Sabbath. Those taking the Sabbath side of the discussion were furnished with our tracts, and gave a good presentation of the subject before a large audience. One of the brethren told me yesterday that he had secured a seat for me at the Buxton (Wesleyan) church, where a similar discussion will be held by the pupils of that school.
The Guardian, one of the leading newspapers in the city, has published several pointed articles on the Sabbath question, and concerning our work. I quote a paragraph from the issue of May 28:—
“Sunday is not the Sabbath, and there is no argument that ought to convince the scholar of Holy Scripture that Sunday is the Sabbath day. It is plainly put down in the Bible that the seventh day is the Sabbath, and Sunday is the first day of the week. If, therefore, Saturday is the seventh day, it is evidently the Sabbath day. The changing of the Sabbath day as a day of rest was done by Constantine the Great, not because of his ignorance of knowing the Sabbath day, but because of his custom during the time he was a worshiper of the sun. Before his conversion, he kept Sunday as a day of rest, and so the law passes through the Roman Church. It was an oversight during the Reformation of the church that the parties concerned in the canonical laws never took any notice of the error. At any rate, the Sabbath day is not Sunday. Sunday was constituted by the English law as an holy day, but that does not alter the commandment: ‘Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.’”
Surely the Lord is stirring up the people over these important truths. If we, though few in number, will but enter the field with our lamps burning bright, as did Gideon’s army, the Lord will stir up the camp of the masses, and we may yet hear voices proclaiming this message from quarters we least suspect. If all our churches would awaken to their responsibilities and privileges, every member becoming a living, active worker, how quickly the world might be warned, and we be gathered home!
We have just opened up work especially for the tribes of Freetown, for the first time. Our work has been almost wholly for the mixed people, or creoles, heretofore. This morning we held our first meeting in the Mendi language. One of our students acted as interpreter, and will also conduct most of the studies for the Mendis. A good company was present, and they all expressed their willingness to hear and obey the message the true God has for them. As we were conducting our services, I thought, “How changed the conditions of that same cottage since a few weeks ago, when we saw a fetish medium writhing under satanic influence.”
We earnestly request the prayers of our dear brethren and sisters in the home land, and, in fact, throughout the world, that we may be wholly guided by the Captain of our salvation in this closing work.
Freetown.