WE now have more than fifty children in the Home. Twenty board themselves and live in huts close by. These really belong to the mission family. All are in the night school, and under our supervision. So our mission family numbers over seventy natives. Tho Elder Hyatt has gone, Sister Hyatt is still with us, and helping in the teaching. Three children are with her, and they, with my wife and myself, comprise the family of workers at present.
There is plenty to do—so much that I find but little time to write. After I have arranged the daily work for all these children, seen to the stock, store, farm, home, studied my lessons, taught my classes, I am fully tired, and care for little more that day. And this is every day. From Elder Hyatt's report it will be seen that our Sabbaths are filled also. So in truth we know no rest. But we are as happy as can be, and really enjoy our work.
My wife has care of the Home work and the girls, and of the milk, butter, and poultry, with the washing and mending, and helps in the night school. Her health has been wonderfully preserved, and she has not had a sick spell since we arrived at the mission more than two years ago. How good the Lord has been to us! We love Him and desire to show it by earnest toil. We would not exchange our place for others.
Two of our native young men—James and Peter are their English names—were ordained to the office of church deacons, to help me in the care of this tender little flock. It was a solemn time, being the first ordination the natives ever witnessed.
We have found a young man and his wife to come and help here at the mission—Brother Albert White. He has just returned to Africa from Australia, where he has been attending school.
From our experience in teaching English to the natives, we now believe we are to find our translators right here among our native boys. We see prospects of this in our school this year. We also see all our future help by way of teachers here. To this end we are working. We can support and send out many of our native teachers for the same amount it would take to support one white teacher.
We are of the best of courage; and to the praise of God, the health of all is good. Our hearts are greatly cheered by the reports from the States, telling of the way the Lord is working at Washington. It makes us feel like redoubling our efforts here, and assures us that Jesus is truly closing the work and will come quickly to receive His people.
We rejoice for the awakening that seems to be coming into the ranks. O, if some of our people could only be with us six months, and see what it means to be a missionary, I think they could never again settle down to what we call "home life." The harvest is ripe. Corn is dying, and falling, and wasting to be gathered. O, who will come over and help us?
Native School in Zululand.
I have had and am having a difficult time to get the language. Tho now I can understand and talk to the natives and teach them in their tongue, I do not try public speaking yet. Besides we have good help now as interpreters, and we can get our thoughts better before the people in that way. M. C. STURDEVANT.
