A good deal of time is spent in singing, as the children readily learn the words and music of the Gospel songs, even though they do not understand the meaning of the English words. They are very fond of singing indeed, and the missionaries listen to their songs with much delight, and give them a great deal of credit for them. As some of the children never attend day-school, the alphabet is taught in the Sunday-school.
We have a portion of the Bible, and a few hymns, translated into the Mendi, and hope some time to have books in the language, so that greater progress can be made.
We have some active members who go about into the small villages and act as home missionaries among the people. These frequently bring in new scholars to the mission: and what do you think causes the increase of our members, more than most any other circumstance? Some kind friends in America and England have been sending us illustrated papers, nice little books, and small cards with letters of nearly every color and size.
Such things are very attractive to the little natives. I wish you could know the good you can do, by sending your missionaries in Africa such attractive papers and cards, for those whom the missionaries cannot reach will be instructed and influenced by them in their homes. The children who are brought in, take these papers and fasten them up in their houses for ornaments. The books and cards are offered as prizes to those who commit portions of the Scripture accurately.
We have no Sunday-school Conventions like this one, but sometimes we have Concerts.
Within the past few years, all our missionaries have been Freedmen from America, and one of them was for a time connected with the Jubilee Singers of Fisk University. They taught us some of the Jubilee Songs, such as “Steal Away to Jesus,” “Mary and Martha,” and “The Hocks and the Mountains Shall All Flee Away.” The people had never heard the like, and were very much delighted with them.