EDITOR SIGNS OF THE TIMES—Dear Brother: Your good, encouraging letter of December 19 reached our mission in due time. We were truly glad to hear from you, and to learn of the progress of the work in the home field. Our eyes are ever that way, as our former labors were there, and we have left there those dear to our hearts. O my brother, my heart goes out to God this morning in thankfulness for a place, yes, any place, in His most blessed work. We are glad to be here, and can say our health is real good for this country. I think I can say, to the glory of God, my health has been as good, if not even better, than that of any one who has come from America to Africa. For this I do praise our heavenly Father. Tho our labors have been heavy, as all know, the health of our mission has been very good, notwithstanding all of the heavy rains the last two months.
Public Park, Buenos Ayres, South America.
The first of the season it seemed as tho we would have a dreadful famine. The rains held off, rivers dried up, grass withered, and the stock began to die. We lost many of our goats; however, we saved the cattle. No plowing or planting could be done. But before it was too late, our Father turned our captivity, and the rains came in abundance.
To-day our crops look as well as they did last year at this time, so that now we hope for a fair yield. Truly God is good to us.
Our little church is prospering; the spiritual interest seems good. As for the school work, I think I can truthfully say the interest never was better. Surely the children are taking hold in earnest, and enjoy their studies very much. Their whole aim is to learn quickly, to go at once and help finish the work in “this generation.” We keep this thought ever before them in all our work; for, my dear brother, I myself verily believe it is to be done, and that we are the ones God has entrusted to do it. O, let us awake. I myself want to awake early. Never had I a greater desire to lie low at the feet of the Master and be taught of Him.
Yes, we are doing all we can to push the work on some eighty or ninety miles farther north. I have started an out-school with two native teachers, twenty-five miles north; two others are teaching forty-five miles to the west and north. One boy is teaching, two are with Brother C. R. Sparrow at Mkupuvula, and one about ten miles from the mission. Three native teachers help me here. Others are in training, and will soon be able to go out and teach also. So you see we believe in progressive work.
Two of my English classes now read the English, and then in the class translate it into their own language. I am now getting hold of the language so it is not so difficult to understand all they say. I freely admit that it has been a hard task for me to learn the language. We teach out of the Zulu books. The children talk almost wholly the Centebele and Makalaka; and while it is true that the Centebele and Zulu are much alike, they are not alike, so we have to learn two words to keep up with the people.
It has been a hard task for me to battle with the three languages at once; but I think that soon I shall be preaching to them in their own tongue. My heart longs to speak to the people in their own tongue and face to face. I can talk to them in a common conversation13and be well understood, but I have feared to try to preach it yet, tho the boys tell me I could if I would try.
Pray for us, dear brethren, that the work may truly prosper in our hands, and that God may be glorified thereby. M. C. STURDEVANT.
