South Africa by I. J. Hankins

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Mar 8, 1906

South Africa

By I. J. Hankins

THE Cape Colony Conference was held in Kenilworth, January 11-20. The ministers were all present, and also a few lay members from distant churches. An interesting program was rendered, papers being read on Conference Organization, Medical Missionary Work, the Sabbath-school, and True Education. Four newly organized churches were received into the conference, making our total church-membership four hundred and nineteen, over one hundred having been added during the year.

Tithe receipts for the year were over eight thousand dollars, being nearly twenty dollars per capita. The financial report shows a gain during the year of twelve hundred dollars in the conference, and over two thousand dollars in the tract society, also Sabbath-school contributions to the amount of nearly one thousand dollars.

The Kimberley treatment rooms have added a circulating tank, an extension to their heater, and an adjoining lot to their property, and still the work shows a fair profit. The Cape sanitarium has enjoyed an increasing patronage, which has necessitated increased facilities to the amount of nearly five thousand dollars. The health food sales have been larger than ever before, and the work has extended to some of the principal cities in South Africa, where agencies have been established.

Considering the severe financial depression in this field, our work has enjoyed a fair degree of prosperity, for which we are grateful to Him who has given success to his servants.

Six persons have spent their whole time in the canvassing field during the year, and ten or twelve others have spent more or less time.

The Lord has blessed the work among the Dutch people, a good church having been organized in the Orange River Colony, and a smaller one in Cape Colony. The work in East London has been strengthened by the addition of some good people to the church. A few of these have been canvassing, and others expect soon to join the mission in Cape Town, which has just been started for the training of workers, and for aggressive work in the city. This work will be conducted by Mrs. Hankins and the writer. Some changes were made in the conference officers, one being the election of Elder Hyatt to the presidency.

We have reason for sincere gratitude to God for the blessings he has bestowed in every department of our conference work during the past year. We do not regard this an easy field. The results of seed sowing have never been so manifest as in some other countries, yet the Lord has a people in this land who will receive the message, and be saved by it. To these we still hold out the lamp of life, hoping to co-operate with God in saving the little flock for his kingdom. I. J. HANKINS. Cape Town.