South and South Central Africa: A record of fifteen years' missionary labors among primitive peoplesDavidson, Hannah Frances
History
South and South Central Africa: A record of fifteen years' missionary labors among primitive peoples
Davidson, Hannah Frances
Brethren in Christ Church -- Missions; Missions -- Rhodesia; Ndebele (African people); Tsonga (African people)
Sister Frey had been doing the teaching, but at the time of my visit,
Bunu, one of their pupils and converts, was teaching and doing excellent
work. On Thursday Sisters Frey and Engle and myself went in the wagon to
visit some members about eight miles distant, where we met with a warm
reception among those who were Christians. At one place there was a
Christian woman about sixty years of age, who seemed so happy in the
Lord and so eager to make us welcome and comfortable during our stay.
We were surprised to find in one of the kraals a native dressmaker who
owned a sewing machine and had all the sewing she could do for her
dark-skinned neighbors. The sisters have been teaching their girls and
women to sew.
In the evening about thirty natives, most of whom were believers,
gathered around our campfire to hold service. We spoke for a time, and
then a number gave a clear testimony to the saving power of Christ. We
had to contrast this little company with some other gatherings which we
have seen and heard in the hours of night in darkest Africa, where beer,
the dance, licentiousness, and all forms of devil worship made night
hideous. One can best understand what the Gospel message is doing for
the people, if he first sees something of paganism.
On Sunday at the mission there was a very impressive time, and when the
altar call was given a number came forward. There were truly penitent
hearts, among whom were a number of young men seeking to get right with
God; also some girls and married people. Here was a woman whose husband
had two wives, and she was much persecuted at home, but she wanted to
follow the Lord, and piteously, in the midst of her sobs, she inquired
what she should do. Then a Magdalene confessed that she had fallen into
grievous sin, and like the one of old came with bitter tears to the feet
of Jesus. Another's way was made hard on account of the unfaithfulness
of her husband, and so on. But the one whose experience seemed the most
touching was a woman of nearly sixty years. Her married daughter, who
is a Christian, had been much in prayer for her mother, and so the woman
came and with utter abandonment, seemingly, threw herself at the feet of
Jesus, weeping and confessing her sins and saying, "I am a dog. Pick me
up, Lord."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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