A LITTLE more than a year ago we landed in this colony, to open up the work anew for the Master. Varied have been our experiences since coming here, but in all we can see the leading of our Heavenly Father, and his special care.
We began work by canvassing the people with our books and papers, and success attended our efforts. As soon as the way opened, we held meetings in a small room where we were living, and quite an interest was awakened, but soon the fever took hold of us, and the meetings had to close, before we could even reach the Sabbath question.
For some months we were unable to do anything but visit a few occasionally. About the middle of January, Brother Francis I. U. Dolphijn, from the Gold Coast, came to assist in the canvassing work, and was quite successful for a time, but returned to the coast the first of May. Since that time there has been but little canvassing done. Recently, however, two have begun canvassing for us here in the city of Freetown. Sister Jones, who with her husband arrived in this field nearly two years ago, from the United States, has taken up the book work, and is making some progress.
MISSION HOUSE, SIERRA LEONE, AFRICA
A young man who is taking music lessons from Mrs. Babcock, became interested in our books, and is now selling for us. He is attending one of the high schools in the city, so he has an opportunity of selling to the school. He is quite pleased over his efforts.
Many months ago I received a letter from the International Tract Society of London, in which was enclosed a letter that they had received from a young man of this city, a teacher in one of the high schools, asking for some of our literature. I was quite sick at that time, but I got up, and wrote him a letter, inviting him to visit me. Months have passed, and I heard nothing from him. Last week I received a good letter from him, saying that shortly after receiving my letter he had gone to the hinterland, and had just returned; he requested me to send him some papers.
A city official called on us recently, and we had a good talk on different points of our faith. He attended our meetings held while we lived down in the city, and he stated frankly that we surely had the truth. I sold him a copy of “Bible Readings,” and I have strong hopes that he will yet accept the message.
The Mission Property
About nine months ago we purchased some property on the outskirts of the city of Freetown, for about one hundred and fifty dollars. It is situated on one of the main streets, running directly to the center of the city, about one mile and a half from the central post-office. Our mission house is built near the summit of a spur of the mountain, about three hundred feet above the sea-level, overlooking the city, and the many little villages in the distance. To the north and south of us are two mountain streams, about one half mile from the house. The scenery is pleasant to look upon, so that with the excellent location and varied surroundings, we have many advantages for our laborers to recuperate their health when the fever gets a hold upon them.
It has been a hard struggle to get the place fitted up as we have it, beginning as I did in the very midst of a hard attack of fever, but the effort I believe will be amply repaid, in the building up of the health of our laborers in this unhealthful climate. We have never seen one indication that the Lord was not well pleased with our effort in the building up of this mission home. I was not in any condition to begin work, but my own health has been fully restored, and we are all enjoying excellent health. We have no reason to be discouraged.
The School Work
For several reasons our school down in the city was closed last month, and we rented a room for our Sabbath-school, at $2.45 a month, in another part of the city.
A Catholic (an Austrian) living near us urged Mrs. Babcock to take his children and teach them. It seemed like quite a task, with her home duties resting on her, but she gave her consent, and on the first of September she began a little school. In a few days, others, hearing of it, came with their children, and asked admittance.
Without the least solicitation, the school has grown so that we can not accommodate17any more until we get time to fit up our basement for a schoolroom. The opening exercises in the morning and afternoon are so interesting to the people in the neighborhood that they want their children to attend our school.
It is pleasant indeed to hear them singing the third angel's message, and it has an effect on the people around us. Already they make a distinction between Sunday and the Sabbath in their conversation. It is a marked evidence of the power of God, to see Catholics sending their children to our school instead of to the Catholic school. When on my way home from the city, a few days ago, I met the father of these Catholic children, and he asked me why we did not start a Sabbath-school for the children that were attending the day-school. I remarked that we were arranging for that very thing. He further stated that we could build up our work in that way. He said he would certainly send his children. Yesterday we held our first Sabbath-school for the children in the mission. All the school children except one were present. I have noticed the Catholic priests and nuns visiting this same family several times since the children began attending our school, but they come just the same.
We expect to open up a school for the Mendi boys, by the first of the new year. They are very anxious for the time to come. It is remarkable to see how fast they learn. Our Mendi boy, Fambuoi, can read quite well in the “Gospel Primer.”
He came to me some time ago (after he had made a visit home), and told me that he wanted to learn so he could go and teach his people. He said that while he was at home, he told them about us and our work, and how we treated the Mendi boys, and they told him to come back and learn all he could, and then come and teach them. This indicates a marked change in this people. Only a few years ago they were bitterly opposed to education, and now they ask one of their own tribe to come and learn what he can, and then teach them.
Surely God is working on the hearts of these heathen people, so they may learn of the great salvation in Christ. This message must go to these heathen people before our Saviour can come. Who will volunteer to help us train them, that we may hasten the coming of our dear Saviour?
We are glad to learn by the last mail, that a tent has been shipped to us from America. With the God-given health we are now enjoying, and the excellent interest shown among the people, we expect to see good results from our tent work.
