At Mannah Bargroo Station, or Avery,
we have a new chapel, which has been opened since our coming to the field. Meetings were conducted in the first part of the year by Bro’s James and White. The people became more and more interested in these meetings. Since the arrival of the new missionaries, Rev. A. E. Jackson has been put in charge of that work, and regular preaching services, together with prayer-meetings, have been kept up.
A number of the old members from Good Hope Church, and those who have been converted, have been brought together, their names enrolled, and other preparations made, looking forward to an early organization, which, we hope, will take place as soon as the weather will allow. Seven adults have been baptized and four children. The whole number enrolled is thirty. There is great interest manifested among others whom we hope soon to see converted.
We have preaching services at eleven A. M., Sunday-school at two P. M., prayer-meeting at seven P. M. Also a Thursday evening prayer-meeting. There is a preaching station outside the mission.
Report of Committee on School Work.
Your committee on school work beg leave to report to the members of the Board of Counsel and Advice, the progressive state of the schools both at Good Hope and Avery, under the existing circumstances. The progress of the schools is wonderful when compared with the chances of the scholars. The advantages have been poor, as we have been trying to fight without arms for the last nine months. We have been, and are now, almost altogether without books, which not only discourages teachers and pupils, but is also a great loss to the scholars and the general work. [Provision was made for a supply of books from England, but a misunderstanding led to delay; the books have since been sent from this country.—Ed.] As time with missionaries is something in Africa, where so much darkness prevails, we lay before you the real needs of our schools.
Many of our scholars attend school with only a handkerchief as a garment, tied around their necks, hanging somewhat cloak-fashion.
School is taught at Debia. The prospect does not seem very hopeful, yet more so than at any time previous. The people are very poor, and are not able to supply the wants of their children. A larger number could be brought in if we were to aid them a little. This, we hope, we shall be able to do, to some extent, in future, as we trust we shall be so advised by the committee at New York.
The Sunday-schools, no small factor in our work, are in a flourishing condition. We stand in great need of Sunday-school books, papers, mottoes, etc., which, we hope, will soon be supplied us.
Our aim is to train up young men and young women, who may go forth into this broad continent, and carry the light to those benighted ones whom we are unable to reach. Therefore, we recommend to this body the importance of establishing, at whatever station in their judgment seems best, a High School for the purpose of training up persons to be missionaries to the dying millions in the interior, with hope of the approval of the Executive Committee at New York.