Sabbath, July 14, 1906, was a blessed day for the mission here. The previous week we had organized the first Seventh-day Adventist church in Cholo, with twenty-one members. On the Sabbath mentioned, after a short sermon on baptism and repentance, faith and obedience, we went to the stream to administer baptism to thirteen believing souls. Two hundred natives were present. The Lord came near by his Holy Spirit. In the afternoon the ordinances of the Lord's house were celebrated. This solemn service was enjoyed by all, and I believe that the influence of the meeting will have much to do in bringing others into the light of the truth. There are others desiring baptism, in a village quite a distance from the mission, where some of our boys go Sabbath afternoons to preach. Five persons there have presented themselves as candidates for baptism. Truly the Lord has gone before us, and hearts are being made tender; and while all are not accepting these truths, all are hearing them.
BROTHER MALINKI AND FAMILY
The adversary of souls is angry at the oft-repeated visits of the boys into his camp with the Word of God, and some poor blind souls have cried out, “Leave us alone; we do not wish to hear the Word of God, neither do we desire to hear the name of Jesus spoken.” Yet others are crying to know the way of life, and many are coming to study that they may know how to find the Saviour.
O that there were more laborers in this dark corner of Africa! God is calling. Who will answer, “Here am I; send me”? Ethiopia has her hands outstretched to God, and the cry is sounding aloud, “Send us help;” and we join our prayers and cries with these perishing ones: “Send us help, send it ere the harvest-time pass by.”
The school work is in good condition, with a daily attendance of seventy-five. Mabel, Paul, and two native teachers are instructors. The lessons in the “Gospel Primer” never seem nearly so interesting as when read by these boys, who delight to read them. We are having great difficulty in securing books and other school supplies, as the Scottish mission refuses to sell us anything, on account of the Sabbath question. They have been here about thirty years, with their schools and stores. Heretofore we have managed to move on with our work very well, as we could send a boy, and buy. But now the boy must tell from where he comes, and if he says, “Cholo,” “No” is the answer he receives. The Sabbath question is finding its way into these opposing missions, and their boys are coming to enter school and hear the truths of God.
Malinki, our native preacher, who was the first Seventh-day Adventist convert in this part of Africa, is an excellent worker. He has a good knowledge of English, speaks six of the native languages, and is of great help to us. He labors untiringly for his people. He is supported by the young people of Tennessee. It is a great inspiration to him to know that there are those who are so much interested in his brethren in Africa as to support a teacher for them.
The Lord has abundantly blessed in the mission crops during the past year, for which we are certainly very grateful. We harvested thirty tons of corn, two tons of beans, the same quantity of peanuts, and our five-acre field of sweet potatoes yielded abundantly. We are all praising God, from whom all these blessings flow.
Pray for the work here, and that the light of the third angel's message may soon spread to every kindred and tribe, and that all may quickly hear of our soon-coming Saviour.
