The American Missionary — Volume 35, No. 7, July, 1881Various
Religion
The American Missionary — Volume 35, No. 7, July, 1881
Various
Congregational churches -- Missions -- Periodicals; Home missions -- Periodicals
THE ORDINATION AT GOOD HOPE.
REV. H. M. LADD.
No little interest centered about the ordination of Kelly M. Kemp.
It took place at Good Hope Station, Sherbro’ Island, West Coast
of Africa, Sunday, April 10th.[A] Being the first ceremony of the
kind in which the church and community had ever participated, it
was naturally looked forward to by many, not only as a matter of
deep interest in itself, but also as the harbinger of a better
state of things for the enfeebled and almost discouraged church.
Yet the field was an important one and must not be given up. The
Lord had set His seal upon some faithful souls here, and they were
praying and hoping for better things. Here, in the little graveyard
adjoining the church, lay those who had given their lives that
Africa might be redeemed. Here, by their side, lay one of Africa’s
own sons, the gifted Barnabas Root, whose Christian graces of
character had endeared him to all who knew him, and whose brilliant
attainments had been to all the friends of the colored race at once
a promise and a fulfillment of their fondest expectations. Their
mute appeal, seconding the conviction that God had not forgotten
this station, was eloquent, and prevailed. Good Hope was not to be
given up. On the contrary, it was to be strengthened, so far as
human power could do so, with a good hope, true to its name, that
God would add His blessing in the fulfillment of the rich promises
of His grace.
The property of the mission here is on all sides acknowledged to
be the finest on the island. It consists of a large tract of land,
part of it well wooded, about a quarter of a mile wide and a mile
long, running back from the Sherbro’ River or Sound, and commanding
a fine view of its many beautiful islands, stretching across to
the native town of Bendoo on the opposite side. The mission house,
large and well built, the church and school-house, besides a large
number of “fakis,” or groups of native huts, are on this land. The
grounds in front of the mission house are neatly laid out with
gravel walks and shrubbery, and extend to the river road skirting
the bank, where lies the mission boat moored to its wharf. It may
be truly said of this place, in the words of the grand old hymn,
that
“Every prospect pleases
And only man is vile.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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