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)
There are others. First is Anyana, long a faithful helper of the
mission, and his wife, Citiwa, also one of our girls. Then comes Siyaya,
who had some falls, but he has at last got his feet on the Rock and is
helping to tell others of Christ. Mahlenhle is also here. He is the same
faithful boy as of old, one of those who never give their missionary any
uneasiness. He is always ready and willing to do what he can, which is
not a little. He teaches, he preaches, and interprets for others, or he
can go out and handle the oxen and see to the farming. There are also
many new ones in church and school, several of whom are assisting in
teaching. There are forty-two boys staying at the mission for school,
and a number coming to day-school. Sister Heise has plenty to do, for
she teaches both early morning and midday, and is doing excellent work.
There are about 150 regular attendants at the Sunday services. The
majority of them are young men and women and children. Almost all are
respectably clothed and are seeking to know the Lord. The girls who
desire to stay at the missionaries' and be trained are now sent to the
Girls' School at Mtyabezi Mission. There is a large sewing class at this
place for those who wish to learn. Two new missionaries, Brother Levi
Steckly and Sister Cora Alvis, are also assisting in the work at Matopo.
I went out among the people, eager to secure a snapshot of a kraal, as
they formerly were, but I failed. They are all better built and more
cleanly than formerly. In every village there are some who wear European
clothing, for even if they have not accepted Christ as their Savior,
some have put on the garments of civilization. There are, of course,
many among the older ones who have not changed much, and who have always
hardened their hearts and stiffened their necks against the truth. This
has been the condition of the world ever since the Fall, and it will no
doubt continue until all sin and wickedness shall be put under foot and
He shall reign in righteousness. If the command had been "Go into all
the world and make disciples of every creature," missionaries would have
given up long ago in despair. Miss Carmichael, in her work, "Things as
They Are in Missionary Work in Southern India," says, "It is required in
a steward that a man be found faithful. Praise God! it does not say
'successful.'" The same will apply to missionary work in Africa.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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