A Visit to the Malamulo Mission
By R. C. Porter
THIS station is planning to raise sixty acres of mealies, four acres of peanuts, five acres of beans, two of sweet potatoes, two of Irish potatoes, two of wheat, three of lucerne, three of fodder, four of garden-truck and fruit, five of cotton, and fifteen acres of rubber-trees during 1913. This will make ample provision for its 105 boarding-students and 104 day-students. Mantandane has twelve out-schools, with an attendance of 317 students. The total number of out-schools for Malamulo is thirty-five, with an average attendance of forty-four in each. For 1911 the total was 2,003, and for 1912 1,744. This decrease in attendance is due to a scarcity of food, caused by the drought. Students came and wanted to stay, but no more could be taken. There were thirty baptized in 1911, and thirty-nine in the first half of the year 1912. Forty others offered themselves for baptism, but were asked to wait until they had completed a two years' course in Bible study. This part of Africa is eager for an education. The country is thickly populated; and if we should baptize all applicants on request, hundreds would be added to the church each year. By requiring them to take a two years' course in Bible study before baptism, the unstable are sifted out. Brethren C. Robinson and S. M. Konigmacher made a trip into Portuguese Angoniland in search of a mission station in this new territory the last of March. The trip was made on donkeys, which is much less expensive than machilla traveling. After prospecting a few weeks, a good site was selected about one hundred miles from the Mantandane station, and two hundred miles from Malamulo. They hope to be able to start work there in 1913. Until recently this territory has been closed to Protestant missions, being providentially opened since the Portuguese revolution; so we have moved as the "pillar of cloud" has lifted. While our mission brethren were on this trip, the lions would often roar around their camping-place, and it was necessary to keep a close watch of their donkeys, as the lions are very fond of donkey meat. They camped one night at the Dutch Reformed Mission in charge of Mr. Andrew Murray. The night before several head of stock had been killed by the lions, so a trap was set, and the bait used was poisoned. The next morning two large male lions were lying near the cattle kraal dead, victims of the poison placed for them. At one time when Brother Robinson was traveling in northwest Rhodesia, he turned aside into a clump of tall grass to drink from a spring. A lion followed in after him. The native carriers having lazily fallen behind, Brother Robinson was without protection, as they had the guns. The natives, seeing the lion go in after Brother Robinson, nimbly climbed up into trees for safety. Brother Robinson was singing as he went in, and after he had quenched his thirst at the spring, he came back as he went, singing a song of praise. He met the lion squarely in his path, but the singing seemed to frighten it, and it turned out of the path, allowing Brother Robinson—still singing—to pass the place in safety. The natives were very much impressed with their mfundisi's (teacher's) composure and deliverance. Brother Robinson believes that God sent an angel for his protection, and also inspired the singing which frightened the lion away. Amid all the dangers from wild beasts confronting our workers in the interior of Africa, in not a single instance has one of them been harmed. But why mention lions when giving a mission report?—For the same reason that they are mentioned in the Bible account of the Lord's work. They enter into the experiences of mission life, and show God's protection to-day as in past ages. The Lord sends the angels and shuts the mouths of lions in Africa, when his work and workers are in danger, as verily as he did for his servant Daniel in the earlier history of his work. It greatly encouraged his servants then, and so it does to-day. I returned to the Cape, stopping en route at the Tsungwesi Mission to meet Brother and Sister C. L. Bowen, who had come to the station during my absence. I also made a short call at Gwelo, where Brother T. J. Gibson met me for some further counsel. At Bulawayo I was greeted at the station by Brother and Sister W. C. Walston, who had come in to give me a welcome back to civilization again. I returned in fully as good health as when I left, in spite of an attack of the fever. I praise God for his love and care for me during these fourteen weeks' travel in the interior, where traveling is very wearisome. I expect to remain at the Cape until the middle of August, when I shall leave for a visit to Natal.