p. 13 | German East Africa by B. Ohme

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park, Washington, D. C. · May 23, 1912

German East Africa

By B. Ohme

B. OHME

Our first baptism in Majita, the Victoria Nyanza Mission, took place Dec. 2, 1911. Our newly finished chapel was decorated with banana leaves, for on that day it was to be dedicated to the proclamation of the Word of God.

By ten o'clock in the morning, a large number of natives had come together. We were favored also by the presence of Elder A. A. Carscallen, superintendent of the British East African Mission, and the superintendent of the Quaker Mission, who had come from Kisumu to be present at the dedication. Brethren Stein and Wallath had also come, with their pupils.

After I had made a few remarks upon 1 Kings 8:29, 30, and the dedicatory prayer had been offered, we entered the chapel. The meeting was opened by singing and prayer. Matt. 28:19, 20, formed the basis of our remarks, and we also referred to John 3:3, inasmuch as we were to have the privilege of baptizing the first-fruits of our work among the natives of Shirati and Muansa. The sacred rite, performed in our new baptistry of the chapel, made a deep impression upon all who were present.

Two young men were baptized — Filipo Kayanda and Johana Mtarimbo. Filipo Kayanda is the first-fruit of about 150,000 natives who are waiting for the last warning message. He came from Usukuma. As yet we have opened no work among this people, but we expect to establish two stations among them this year, if the Lord wills it. As a lad, Filipo went to Ukerewe, then to Majita, where he entered the employ of an Indian. When he learned that we were going to open a school there, he gave up his position that he might attend. As he was industrious and persevering, he soon learned to read and write. We employed him for our house and kitchen work. He quietly did his work, and was seldom heard laughing and joking. When the hour came for the Bible study, his eyes fairly shone for joy as he devoured the history of God's wonderful providences in dealing with the children of Israel, while the life of our Saviour, and especially his death and resurrection, made a very deep impression upon his heart. When he was asked whether he would like to make a covenant with God by baptism, he joyfully declared his willingness to do so.

Johana Mtarimbo is the first-fruit from the 200,000 natives of the Shirati district. There are five stations among this people where the light of the gospel has been kindled, and we hope that we shall soon be able to see fruit at the other stations. We became acquainted with Mtarimbo about a year ago. He had been upon the coast, had come in contact with Mohammedanism, although it had not influenced him, and he had seen and learned much. In Dar-es-Salaam he learned to sew. He saw the cities of the coast, with their evil ways and tendencies, but he longed for his own home at Majita, so he returned. He here learned from us of the true God, and became better acquainted with the art of reading and of writing; for he had formerly received some education from a Catholic Christian. As he desired to earn his way, Brother Winter employed him as a servant. By taking these young men into our homes, we were able to give them much good instruction, and to shield them from many evil influences. The history of the men of God as revealed to us in the Old and New Testaments, riveted the attention of this young man also, and he was especially glad to hear of the life of Christ. From the first, he was a constant attendant at our instruction for candidates for baptism. We often heard him reading aloud in his Swahili Testament during his spare moments, and we could see that the word thus read was made a part of his daily life and experience. He was fully prepared to make a covenant with God at the time of his baptism. Thus the Lord is fulfilling his word which he spoke through the prophet Isaiah: "For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater; so shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." Isa. 55:10, 11.

In the afternoon, we celebrated the ordinances of the Lord's house with the newly baptized converts, and we could see by the expression on their countenances, that they felt the exceeding great joy of salvation through faith in our Lord's shed blood. They courageously began the new life, paying no attention to the prejudices of their tribesmen, but having their faith alone in Jesus. We hope that their example may be used of God for the blessing of many.