L. A. P.
AFRICA.
THE MENDI MISSION.
Eight Added to the Church—A Refreshing Sunday.
Rev. Floyd Snelson writes:
Last Saturday was our day for preparatory meeting, the following Sabbath being the day of Communion. Ten persons presented themselves as candidates for membership. All were examined carefully, in open meeting; eight were received, as we believed from their evidence that they were hopefully converted, and two rejected on the ground that they were not married according to law (this is one of the greatest evils that exist here, both among the white and colored, there being no law to compel them to marry). Sunday was, indeed, a day of great refreshing, there being before us eight adults to be welcomed into the Church of Christ, and seven children, in the arms of parents and god-parents, to be consecrated to Him. And what increased the joy was, that the whole week had been a rainy one up to late on Saturday, when the good Master stopped the rain, and removed the clouds gradually, and let the light of the sun beam upon us. I would say more upon this precious subject, but the time for closing the mail has arrived, and I am compelled to stop. Pray for us.
Mr. E. White writes:
The thing I want to ask you about now is this—if you will help me to take care of a few boys? When I was here the first of the year, the people came almost daily to get me to take their children and keep them in the mission, but I told them that I was not allowed to do so; if I were, I would do it gladly. Their reason was that, if they sent their children to the mission-school, they would only be in the school a small portion of the day, and at home most of the day and all night, and, therefore, the evil influence which they would have over them in that time would overbalance what the teacher would teach them in the short time he would have them in the day; and they wanted their children to “Sabby-book,” and if they did, they must be taken away from them. They say that they don’t think their children can become like the white man while they are with them; the “pickin’” must be taken from the old people; and I agree with them on this point. The vices which the old people practice, the children will surely follow, if allowed to be where they are. There are no children in this station, and we said in our meeting that we would not take in any till we heard from you; but, as I am a single man, you might not think of my taking any mission children. Therefore, I write to ask you if you will allow me to take some of the boys offered me. Some of the people have promised to bring rice (which is the most they eat) for the children, if I would only take them.