“On Sunday morning there were some six or seven hundred present at nine o’clock, when Mr. Pinnock conducted a children’s service, and gave a capital address from ‘Knock.’ At eleven o’clock Mr. Lewis conducted the usual meeting, when the place was crowded, about eight hundred being present. He preached from the text ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.’ At half-past two p.m., there was a gathering of between four and five hundred women. We had such a good meeting—Mrs. Graham prayed, Mrs. Beedham gave out the hymns, and I gave an address from ‘He appeared first unto Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven devils.’ The attention and behaviour were really wonderful, seeing that many had never been to service in a building before. It was a gathering such as is rarely seen in Africa, and far exceeded our expectations. In the evening at five o’clock Mr. Graham preached to an audience of men only, some three hundred being present, on the ‘whole armour of God.’ When in the evening we nine missionaries met together for our little English service, our hearts were indeed full of joy and thankfulness.
“On Monday morning all was again excitement, for this was the great meeting, and long before we were ready a big crowd was waiting outside, and Messrs. Pinnock and Beedham had as much as they could do to prevent the people from tumbling over one another. The speakers and choir were already seated, and Mr. Bowskill with four cameras was taking pictures all the time. Mr. Lewis was in the chair, and we had a most interesting meeting, of which I enclose a report. It was really marvellous at all the meetings to see how well the natives, both men and women, acquitted themselves. Some of their speeches would not have disgraced Exeter Hall; they were so much to the point and so well put. Nlekai’s was the best in this meeting, but all were good. We had a time limit of ten minutes for natives, and five for missionaries, and the gong kept them up to it. The meeting lasted for two hours and a half and was thoroughly enjoyed by all.
“In the afternoon there were many people to see the children, who played games in the station, Mrs. Graham helping them to enjoy themselves, and after tea we all went over again to the chapel for the service of song, based on the ‘Pilgrim’s Progress,’ which Mr. Phillips had taken much trouble to prepare. We were rather afraid that some accident might happen, as so many strangers came. The place was crammed to its utmost capacity. Fully one thousand must have been present. But Mr. Lewis told them at the beginning, it was a service, not a play, and asked for good behaviour, and got it. The King was present, and when his photo was put on the sheet we allowed the audience to clap. But during the service the attention was as good and reverent as we could wish. All went off well, Mr. Lewis reading and Mr. Graham showing the pictures, while Mr. Phillips and Mr. Pinnock accompanied, Mr. Phillips leading. It reminded me of old days when we sang the same service with Mr. Charlier at Camden.
“The next morning (Tuesday) some of the strangers left to return to their towns, so that the attendance at the missionary meeting was not quite so large. But there were about six hundred present, and a most delightful meeting we had. The speeches were all good, and that of Lau was universally acknowledged to be the best in all the meetings. It was really wonderful to hear this woman, who can neither read nor write, stand up and speak as if her address had all been prepared, with not one word too much. Vita and Elembe, our old boys, now teachers in other towns, spoke also very well, and then Mr. Phillips gave an address, bidding us goodbye, after which we all three replied, and the meeting closed with singing ‘God be with you till we meet again.’
“In the afternoon the whole Church gathered together to commemorate our Lord’s death, when three new members were received, two from here and one, Luvumbu, a Zombo native—who was converted while working with Mr. Pinnock at Tumba—the first-fruits of Zombo for Christ. Mr. Graham presided. The following afternoon Mr. Pinnock baptized these three.
“And so ended a memorable time in the history of the San Salvador Church—a time to which we shall look back joyfully, with thankfulness that thus God has permitted us to see the result of our labours, with prayer that He may richly bless the native Church meeting in this new and beautiful house, and that in many an instance ‘The Lord shall count, when He writeth up the people, that this man was born there.’
SAN SALVADOR. OLD SCHOOL-CHAPEL.
