MISSIONARY, MATABELELAND.
THE following letters by way of Report, were read by the Rev. Neil Cameron, Convener of Foreign Mission Committee at the meeting of Synod on 11th November:—
“C/O NATIVE COMMISSIONER, BEMBESI,
MATABELELAND, SOUTH AFRICA, 2nd October, 1913.
MY DEAR MR. CAMERON,—I received your letter of the 4th August, and was very glad to hear from you again. I have seen Mr. M’Keurtan, and he has told me that he received the money sent to him—£200 by telegram and £138 8s. sent by bank draft. I have already stated that the building has given great satisfaction to our people. Mr. M’Keurtan was very careful to set up a strong ant-hill course on the foundation, to prevent the white ants from destroying the wood-work of the building. Our people wish to thank the Synod, and the kind friends, who contributed towards the Bembesi Church Building Fund.
We were all very pleased to hear that you had ordered The Lovedale Press to publish 1,000 copies of the Psalms in Kaffir. We are looking forward, with joy, to the prospect of having the whole of the Book of Psalms in Kaffir Metre. Our people are always asking me when they will be finished.
It is a matter to be very thankful for to the Lord, for having in His own good time opened up a way that the Psalms should be printed and published in metre in the Kaffir language. I remember the difficulties and disappointments we first had, when we were desirous of having the Psalms printed in Kaffir Metre; that, humanly speaking, it seemed almost hopeless, that we would ever get any one to undertake the work for us, but the Lord in His own good time soon raised up people, who were themselves interested in the good work—being themselves desirous to have the Psalms in Kaffir Metre. And so they did their work joyfully, judging from the tone of their letters, and I also hope with many prayers for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, in so great and noble a work.
We had the Communion last Sabbath and the church was well filled. I am glad to say that all were able to get in, although they were crowded, as also our people from the outstations come in on that day. The services began on Thursday and closed with a Thanksgiving Service on Monday just as we do in Scotland, only we have a Prayer Meeting instead of a Men’s Meeting on Friday. The Lord’s Table is carefully fenced just as we do in Scotland. It seems a great pity that the Presbyterian Churches in this country have done away with all those services, as they only keep the Sabbath Services.
Pray for us that the Lord might bless our work here, and pour down His Holy Spirit upon us, as without His Spirit we can do nothing. May the Lord in His mercy apply the redemption purchased by Christ to many sinners in this dark continent!
The ordinary services here are generally conducted as follows:—On Sabbath-day I have a Prayer Meeting early in the morning; a service at 11 o’clock in the morning and another service at 2 o’clock in the afternoon; after the Afternoon Service, a Bible Class, where we read the Bible and lessons on the Shorter Catechism. During week-days we have another Prayer Meeting on Thursday mornings. I sometimes go to these outstations during week-days and give them a service there.
We still get good reports from Lovedale of the two boys and girl who went to study there, about their general progress and good conduct.
I must now conclude with kindest regards.—Yours sincerely,
J. B. RADASI.”
“FREE PRESBYTERIAN MISSION,
BEMBESI, 3rd October, 1913.
MY DEAR MR. CAMERON,—It is with sincere regret that I have to inform you about the death of my father in the Cape Colony. I first got a letter to say that he was seriously ill, and shortly after that a wire to say that he had passed away. A month before that my eldest sister died somewhat suddenly. My father, I understand, was ill for fourteen days. It is said that he desired the Bible to be read to him every day when he was no longer able to read for himself. The chapter he desired to be read to him just shortly before he died was the eighth chapter of Romans, and when they got to the eighteenth verse, he desired them to repeat the eighteenth verse. He was a convert of one of the early missionaries, and he always spoke very highly of the old missionaries who first came to Africa. He was a man who strongly opposed such things as concerts and tea meetings for Church purposes. He used to say the old missionaries never did these things. He was not at all pleased with the state of the Church at the present time. His cry was that the present missionaries had forsaken the old paths taught them by the old missionaries, and had introduced many new things into the worship of God which were not desirable.
I would like to get leave of absence for a month to go to Cape Colony to see my aged mother in November. I would like to go about the third or fourth week of November, as I believe by that time cheap tickets to Cape Colony will begin.
Some of the elders of our Church here could fill up my place during the few Sabbaths I would be away. It takes about four days by rail and one day by coach to my home in Cape Colony from here. Please let me know as soon as possible if I can go.
I must now conclude with kindest regards.—Yours very sincerely,
J. B. RADASI.”