WORK IN TOPEKA.
MISS A. D. GERRISH.
The younger class of people—the boys and girls—seem to gather around us rather than the older ones; but to win the children generally in the end secures the parents. Through music, especially the singing of the Gospel hymns, of which all are very fond, I feel that I am reaching a larger number than I perhaps could in any other way. A class of some twenty-five little folks, a second class of between thirty and forty boys and girls, a band of twenty or more young ladies, also the “Daniel’s Band,” of nine members,—these, besides others, are daily being brought under our influence and control. Their improvement in singing is very marked. Before I left (an excellent teacher having been secured) a goodly number of the young ladies accepted my invitation to attend Sunday-school. A few months, or even weeks ago, a similar invitation would have met with no response from them. In the night school a number of the older ones, who began last January with A B C, now read quite well out of the Bible. In a Bible reading, in which over fifty took part, I thought that the “Uncles” and “Aunties” read quite as well as some of the young people. The religious interest is not as great as we could wish to see; still, the weekly meetings and Sabbath services are quite well attended. We have now a small church organization, eight members. Three have united on profession of their faith; two are promising young men, members of the Band. I look for an increase of numbers in our Sunday-school next season, and we have the promise of several new teachers. July 30th we had a Sunday-school concert, using the A. M. A. concert exercise. At the close, a white gentleman, one of Topeka’s best men, said: “In looking over the crowded audience this evening, I can but say, with many others, that a change has already been wrought in Tennessee town. Improvement is stamping itself upon place and people.”
AFRICA.
JOURNAL
Of the Arthington Expedition, Kept by REV. HENRY M. LADD, D.D.
The time from Feb. 23d to March 31st was spent by the explorers in Khartoum. During their stay Raouf Pasha, Governor General of the Soudan, was deposed for not taking more active measures against the “False Prophet,” and Abdel Kadir Pasha was appointed in his place, with a residence at Cairo, while the Soudan was divided into four provinces, and Khartoum was reduced from the capital to a Mudirieh. During this time also they witnessed the gathering of Giegler Pasha’s army and its embarkation. Owing to the disturbances they experienced great difficulty in getting transport to Berber. The troubles in Egypt were also rapidly culminating, and gave them serious anxiety as to the possibility of returning through that country. They suffered from poor food. Their dragoman was ill with fever. The time, however, was well improved in studying the people, and the language with which they became quite familiar, in selecting and photographing sites for buildings, and in learning from Emin Bey, Governor of the Equatorial Provinces, certain important particulars in regard to that country.—Ed.
Friday, March 31st.—After lunch we called at Emin Bey’s, and then walked down to our boat and little steamer. We went first to a previously appointed rendezvous at Marquet’s. All the “élite” of the city were present to see the party off. We felt that we had some friends in this far-off place. There were present H. E. Giegler Pasha, Marcopoli Bey, Emin Bey, Georgius Bey, the American Consular Agent, English Consular Agent, and other Consuls; there were priests and merchants, and altogether a large crowd. It was something like a first-class funeral. Finally everything was ready, and at 5 o’clock we went on board, amid much hand-shaking, and even kissing, after the oriental fashion, and the waving of hats and handkerchiefs. As we had the French Consul with us, the French and American flags were hoisted. Soon the tug rope of the little steamer tightened, our boat moved, we were off, and before long we had turned the point, entered the Nile proper, and were headed north-ward and homeward. Our quarters were fairly comfortable. We had a covering of mats over our heads, and the room under it was taken up with our cots. There were four of us here, and the rest were on the steamer that towed us. We made good time. Stopped for the night at a sandy bank. Dinner was served on the sand, and then we went to bed in the moonlight.