Maranatha, South Africa
By I. B. Burton
SABBATH, February 7, was a day which will long be remembered by the church at Maranatha. Services were held both forenoon and afternoon, and consisted of Sabbath school, preaching, baptism, social service, and the celebration of the ordinances of the Lord's house. The Spirit of the Lord came into our hearts during the Sabbath school as the good thoughts of the lesson were considered. Brother Smailes preached from Matt. 1: 21, 23, and at the close of the sermon Brother Sparrow, the elder of the church, invited the candidates for baptism to come forward. Eight persons responded. They were carefully questioned concerning their Christian experience and the reason they desired baptism, and each one responded with a ringing testimony which showed they were taking the step intelligently. Brethren, I wish you could have heard those cheering, encouraging words, words of faith and of praise, which fell from the lips of those who but a short time ago were following their own ungodly lusts, and whose only pleasure was sin. It would have put many of us to shame who have enjoyed the blessings of Christian homes and associations all our lives. Truly the words of Isa. 42: 16 are being fulfilled: "I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them." We then went down to a kloaf [a ravine] on the mission farm, where nature in all her beauty seemed to smile on the company that gathered. Here the candidates were buried in the watery grave, and arose, we believe, to walk in newness of life. At the afternoon meeting the newly baptized members were taken into the church, after which every Christian present took part in a social meeting. At its close a call was made for any who desired prayers, and the whole congregation was moved by seeing Botiani arise and with sobs and tears surrender to God and express his desire to walk in newness of life. Botiani is well on in years, and is the headman of the location where we have opened our new school on Fish River. Fifty-eight sat down to the Lord's Supper. God blessed us during all the day, for which we praise his holy name. Pray for Kafirland.