THE following letter has been received by the Rev. John R. Mackay, M.A., Inverness:—
C/O NATIVE COMMISSIONER, BEMBESI,
MATABELELAND, SOUTH AFRICA, 2nd May, 1910.
MY DEAR MR. MACKAY,—I have been expecting a letter from you every week, to hear about your correspondence with Principal Henderson about the Psalms in metre in Kaffir. We are all very anxious that the work should be undertaken at once. We shall be very glad to hear that a beginning has been made. The English Bibles have also arrived. I am only sorry that they have no Psalms in metre. I would have liked the Scotch version, with Psalms in metre; however, I am thankful to have them. Please thank Mr. Cameron for them; and let him know also that the clothes have not yet come. They usually take a longer time by way of Beira. I shall write and let him know when they arrive. I also got £1 1s. from Rev. J. S. Sinclair, sent by a friend in Canada. Kindly ask him to acknowledge it in the Free Presbyterian Magazine. I have also written to that friend to thank him, as he desired me to do.
Your coming over here has greatly helped and strengthened our cause, and the people are always asking about you. The Congregation is still keeping up well, and several are coming forward for baptism. Those women and the man that you baptised are regular attendants; they are at the services every Sabbath, and they are well spoken of by everybody. Chief Raditladi’s son is here, together with another boy. The two of them are living with me. Chief Raditladi brought the boys himself. They are fifteen years of age. The other boy belongs to a headman of Chief Raditladi. These boys came in February. They are Bechuana boys, and can only speak the Bechuana language. I am expecting to open up another preaching place. I will let you know again when I have done so.
As you desired when you were here, I must let you know what I have paid altogether towards the sinking of the well. The sinking of the well cost altogether £13 5s. (wages paid to three men). Of that I first paid £5 and then £2 15s.; John Hlazo paid the other £5 10s.; not including the dynamite detonators and fuses. And so my share was £7 15s., and John Hlazo paid the other £5 10s. The rivers are drying up now. The last rain we had was in March, and we don’t expect it to rain until November or December, when the rainy season begins. We have still plenty of water in the well, but not enough for all the people. The Magistrate, Mr. R. Lanning, has been kind enough to ask the Government to sink another well, and the Government have consented. I think they will begin to sink it next month. It will be sunk at the expense of the Government. I believe after
the sinking of that well more people will be coming to live here, close to the Mission.
Kindly remember me to all the friends in Inverness, also to yourself and Mrs. Mackay, Mrs. Radasi joining.—Yours sincerely,
J. B. RADASI.
THE TRANSLATION OF THE PSALMS INTO METRICAL KAFFIR.
The following letter on the above subject from Principal Henderson, Lovedale, has also been received by Mr. Mackay:—
LOVEDALE, SOUTH AFRICA, 9th May, 1910.
The Rev. JOHN R. MACKAY,
Free Presbyterian Manse,
Inverness.
DEAR MR. MACKAY,—I have your letters of the 24th of January and of the same date in February. Since then I have been in correspondence with the Rev. John Knox Bokwe, who has done more for native Church praise than possibly anyone else in South Africa, and he has brought the matter before one of the most capable native men in the mission field for such work as this. He has not yet informed me as to what view this man has taken of the proposal, but I think it advisable to write you, as the work may now be considered in train, and there is good prospect of its going on.
You will be pleased to hear that things are considerably looking up in many ways in South Africa. The financial depression is lifting, and natives are in that way less harassed. In the fields, too, with which I am most familiar, the tide seems to be turning. We were passing—in some of our fields, for years—through an experience of coldness and deadness and deepening indifference among the professing native Christians, but that experience appears to be passing. Hopeful accounts of the situation come from many quarters. There is no quickening on any great scale, but the native Christians appear to be taking heart and to be bestirring themselves more.
I shall write you later, as soon as I hear definitely on the matter of the Psalms.—With kind regards, I am, yours sincerely,
JAMES HENDERSON.
Deputy to Canada.—It has been arranged by the Canadian Mission Committee that the Rev. Donald Macleod go as a deputy to Canada for the present summer. Winnipeg, Manitoba, will come within the scope of his labours. It is expected that Mr. Macleod will be on his journey by the first of July. We earnestly pray that the divine presence may accompany him, and that an abundant blessing be vouchsafed to his labours among our friends across the sea.