Kolo (Basutoland) Mission by E. C. Silsbee

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 29, 1914

Kolo (Basutoland) Mission

By E. C. Silsbee

E. C. SILSBEE

PERHAPS a word from Kolo would not be out of place. For some months past we have had quite a good spiritual interest among some of the older students in the mission school, and recently there has been considerable interest among a number of the young men in the surrounding villages.

One young man who is the son of a chief and himself a petty chief is very much interested in the truth, and comes weekly for Bible studies, besides coming regularly to Sabbath school and church. The strong drink habit is the principal barrier which holds him from asking for baptism at once.

Another young man who is the son of a chief and quite well-to-do and who is a teacher in another mission school, is also taking Bible studies occasionally, and is quite interested; we are very hopeful that he will accept the truth in the near future. He is an intelligent young man, and would make a good worker in Basutoland.

Another teacher in still another mission school, with his friend, is also taking Bible studies, and wonders at the plainness of the Scriptures regarding the different points of faith.

We are giving from ten to fifty treatments a month, including simple-remedy treatments; most of these are given by Mrs. Silsbee. This department of the work is not without its encouragement, even though the work is quite taxing at times. Last week a man came for medicine for a friend, then asked for a Bible study on several points of present truth. He had heard of the studies we have been having with some of his neighbors. He seemed well pleased with the study, and voluntarily promised that he would come again.

We were greatly pleased and spiritually refreshed by the visit of Pastors W. B. White and W. S. Hyatt last Sabbath. The little mission church was crowded to its utmost capacity, only a few of the audience being children. Among those present were no less than four prominent chiefs in this district, and many more so-called petty chiefs and sons of chiefs. We were also glad that a number of teachers in other mission schools were present to hear the presentation of the truth from these baruti ba baholo, or chief missionaries. It is seldom we can get these native chiefs to come to meeting, and so we were glad for this opportunity to invite them to this special service, and more glad to see them come.

The Spirit of the Lord was present and helped both the ministers to give a simple, plain, and effective gospel message, and impressed it upon the hearts of the people, as was proved by the grateful expressions heard from many at the close of the meeting.

The manual work on the mission, while not extensive, is used of the Lord as an object lesson to the people in industry, as well as to show them the true Sabbath by example. Recently we were working in the garden on Sunday, and a visiting chief who was staying at a near-by village saw us, and inquired at once of the local chief why we were doing it, upon which the local chief brought him over to get an answer from us.

This we gave him from the Scriptures, and he seemed quite fully satisfied. A little later, however, a friend of this visiting chief came to Brother Lazarus and sternly demanded of him his reasons for such conduct as working on Sunday. He also received his answer calmly from the Scriptures. Answers to similar questions on other points were sternly demanded by this imperative chief, until finally the answers were given him in the authority and name of Jehovah our God, Ruler of the universe. "Very well," said the chief, "then if you have the truth of Jehovah from his Word, why do you not come and teach the people of my villages?"

Pray for us that the word of Jehovah may soon be taught in every village in Basutoland.