Cape Town, South Africa
By Ellen Burrill
CLAREMONT UNION COLLEGE.—Our school is composed largely of children from the outside. Our oldest student is twenty years of age, and our youngest boarder is six. At first I did not like the idea of taking in the small children, but now we would sadly miss our bright little ones, should they leave us. Mrs. Ruble is matron and preceptress. Mr. Hayton has charge of the older boys, and I have the little ones. We have them all in one large dormitory room on the third floor. In summer they are easily cared for, because they play on the grounds; but when the rainy season comes, they have nowhere to play, and so the days pass wearily. Last year three of our pupils finished the course of this school. One is now teaching in the college, one in our church school in Cape Town, and one is attending the conference school, preparatory to ministerial labor. I have sometimes thought that in these three young people the Lord is beginning to roll away the reproach which has so long rested upon us as a school,—that we train no workers. True, we have tried; but so few will remain until they are old enough to work. There is much to be done in this dark continent, and I am glad I came here. I believe that the Lord sent me, and my desire is to remain until he calls me elsewhere. There are obstacles and difficulties,20but these strengthen my determination to be an overcomer. My room on the third floor faces Table Mountain. I have never seen a more heavenly view than we have at every sunset. The sun sinks behind the mountain, and the whole sky far above it seems golden and crimson. It reminds me of that prophet of old, who, on lonely Patmos, saw the scenes described in the Revelation. At present we have two mission bands here in the college. On account of the youth of our students, and the fact that most of them are not Adventists, we cannot do the missionary work we desire to do. We are now doing all we can, collecting papers and distributing them in the concentration camps and among the soldiers. War is a dreadful thing. The suffering caused by one war can never be known or realized.