“But when the white man gets up to begin to speak, all these tiny brown mortals seem by instinct to plot against him. No doubt his white face is the cause of it, for he is always greeted as only black babies can welcome a white speaker. Bernard however goes calmly on. He is used to this kind of thing and he does not suffer from nerves. So, too with his audience, not a word is lost. “Crash! down goes a seat broken in two by the weight of some half-dozen ponderous dames. But this is quietly ignored by the rest of the audience, and the heavy ones proceed to accommodate themselves to a seat on the floor, as if nothing out of the way had happened. Then two dogs have disagreed and become unpleasant to one another, till a few vigorous cuffs and a blow from a stick convince our canine friends that to-day they must be on their best behaviour, fit and proper for dogs admitted to such an assembly. But the babies have their own way and perform an involuntary accompaniment all the time of the service. “Bernard has finished now. He has urged the people to come to a decision to-day, not to put off till the to-morrow which never comes. Now is the time to take a stand on the side of truth and righteousness. Who will take his stand now? And so he leaves his audience to answer his final appeal. “A hymn, one of the few which the school children have learned, has been given out by Bernard. He reads the first verse:-- ‘Mwamva mau a Mulungu Mukabvomeranji ko? Kodi musandula mtima Ndi kumvera Yesu’yo. Bvomerani, Bvomerani, Bvomerani msanga tu.’ ‘You have heard the call of Jesus And your answer now must give. Turn to Him your heart so precious, And obeying learn to live. Oh believe Him: Oh believe Him: Oh believe Him: quickly do.’ “The singing is robust; there is no absence of sound, and the hymn is enjoyed by all. It may not be the finest of music, but it is living, real, earnest. “Then follows a short prayer and the service is over. In a few minutes men, women, babies, and dogs are out into the sunshine, and we are enjoying, nay, gulping down the fresh air. “The hearers’ class has now assembled, and we endeavour to teach a few of the great truths of our faith to this little company of young men and women. To this little class we look for the things of the future. Here at least the ground is not stony. The seed is being sown in good soil and by God’s blessing will bear fruit in the future and become the foundation on which to build another church. “When the lesson is over we have a few minutes talk with Bernard and some of the boys, to give and to receive words of encouragement in the work. Then once more to our machila and back home, our ‘Mwana wa mkango’ being as fierce as ever. ‘Guwr-r-r. Mwana wa mkango, Ine. Guwr-r-r; Mwana wa mkango, Ine. Guwr-r-r; Guwr-r-r.’” [Illustration: A MISSION SCHOOL CLASS]