The New Missionary Enterprise by William Ambrose Spicer

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 27, 1902

The New Missionary Enterprise

By William Ambrose Spicer

Nyassaland

Our mission to Nyassaland, British East Central Africa, is fairly launched.

When Brother Joseph Booth, who had been carrying on industrial mission work under the First-day Baptists, accepted the Sabbath truth in Plainfield, N. J., about five years ago, a private association of the Plainfield friends sent him out to establish a Sabbath-keeping mission. They bought an estate of two thousand acres, with buildings, and expected to make the mission practically self-supporting by coffee planting. They paid fifteen thousand dollars for the estate, and have expended very nearly ten thousand dollars more in clearing land and in operating expenses during these years. A blight, however, struck the coffee plants, and as a financially paying investment the coffee plantation was a failure.

During these years Brother Booth has felt drawn ever more decidedly to the Adventist position; and when he decided to stand with us, our Seventh-day Baptist brethren were led to consider what they ought to do with their station. Several out-stations had been established, and teachers had been raised up among the native Sabbath keepers. All of these people, however, knew Brother Booth as their spiritual father, and our brethren in Plainfield felt that it would be somewhat difficult for them to continue their work to the best advantage if Brother Booth returned to open up missions for us in Nyassaland. Moreover, as a private association, they hardly had the resources available in workers and means to push ahead as they would have desired.

Under these circumstances, negotiations were opened for the transfer of their interests to ourselves. I recently visited Plainfield to confer with the association in the matter. Although the friends might, undoubtedly, have secured better terms from first-day societies, they preferred, at a sacrifice, to turn the mission over to us in order that the Sabbath standard which they had unfurled might still remain, and be carried on further yet into the interior. The coffee industry, of course, did not appeal to us, as we should not think of engaging in it. It was arranged that, for the sum of four thousand dollars, the property and mission interests should pass to our board. Thus we, in a large measure, enter into the labors of our Plainfield friends, and we trust that they will ever feel that they have a large interest in the work which may be built upon the foundations they have laid.

How the Way Was Opened Financially

When Brother Booth met our brethren at the Lake Union Conference, in Chicago, and told his story of Nyassaland, all felt that it was of God that we should enter the field. But the Mission Board had planned work which required all the funds available, and in our mission work we can go only so far as the Lord sends the means. The Lake Union Conference said, “Go ahead,” and voted its surplus funds, five hundred dollars, for Nyassaland. When the matter was presented at Des Moines, in the Northwestern Union Conference, and at the Topeka Union Conference, the Spirit of God manifestly touched all hearts, and brethren and conference committees responded with assurances of support, and said, “Go on, at God’s call, into the heart of the dark continent!”

Altogether, pledges of $7,000 were made to this enterprise. The roll of conference donors was as follows: Minnesota, $1,000; Iowa, $1,000; Lake Union, $500; Dakota, $500; Nebraska, $500; Kansas, $500; Southwestern Union, $500; Central Union, $500; Colorado, $250; Missouri, $100. The missionary society of the Battle Creek church has added a further $500 to the list.

The board had within sight sufficient to get the workers to the field, and to provide for the work for the first six months, and to make the first cash payment of two thousand dollars for the mission station. The terms allowed us to issue a note for the remainder of the purchase price. But we felt that this call of God to us to move into the heart of Africa must surely bring with it sufficient to enable us to pay as we go, and owe no man anything. And just as we were waiting to see how deliverance would come, California sent the Mission Board the cheering message by wire: “You can draw two thousand dollars to-day. Blessings upon Nyassaland!”

Thus we take upon ourselves a blessed ministry for the people of Nyassaland,—the land of Livingstone,—with a clear sheet financially. Thanks be to the Lord for this.

The Workers

Brother and Sister Booth, and their little daughter, of about five years, are now in London, preparing for the journey. The Battle Creek church has voted to pay Brother Booth’s salary for the year.

The situation in Central Africa is such that colored workers may render special service, where the white face could not get access. The natives of

the interior have besought Brother Booth, if he loved them, to bring out to Africa one of their own brethren, of whom they have vaguely heard. It was therefore decided that we might appropriately send out one of our colored brethren as our first contribution to Brother Booth’s party. Colorado recommended Brother Thomas H. Branch as one in whom all had confidence as a consecrated man and a teacher of the truth. His wife is a nurse, his daughter a school-teacher, and the two little boys, of seven and eleven, will learn the languages most readily of all. And Colorado agrees to support this family in Africa. Passages have been secured for them on the “St. Paul,” sailing June 4.

Late in June the whole party will be leaving London for South Africa. Let us pray God to send his angels before them to bring them into the place. This is only the beginning. Other workers must follow next season. We must press on and on, deeper into the heart of Africa. And now that the initial expense is met, let our brethren remember that there is a constant and growing demand wherever we are entering vast fields.

W. A. Spicer.

Secretary Mission Board.