By AN AFRICAN FRIEND.
The Lord owns His people, not only as their Creator but as their Redeemer. Mr. Tallach’s departure to his homeland in 1946 caused deep sorrow and a sense of heavy loss to us all, and this was aggravated by the news that the Lord had removed him from this world altogether. But he belonged to the Lord and the Lord has taken Mr. Tallach to be with Himself in that world which knows no darkness nor parting.
“Ye are the salt of the earth.” The servant of Christ who was the salt of the earth for over 20 years in the Ntabazinduna and Shangani Reserves is greatly missed far and near, but his labours and way of life will remain sweet memories to all who love the Lord and were privileged to meet Mr. Tallach and to know him. Mr. Tallach set a very high standard of Christian life in his day among us. As a servant of the King of Kings he devoted his life to the preaching of the gospel of salvation. It can be said of Mr. Tallach that he preached more by deed than by word. His life was a powerful sermon to many souls in Rhodesia.
Mr. Tallach was a most kind and tender-hearted man. His tenderness was clearly shown when attending the death-bed of one of his flock or of any member of the community. He gently gave a word of comfort to those who were God’s people and those who were strangers to Christ he sought earnestly and tenderly to lead to the Saviour. The poor and the aged Mr. Tallach showed a special interest in. Many sons and daughters of the poor owe it to Mr. Tallach that they are educated people to-day. As a true missionary he frequently visited the homes of his flock in order to find out how they lived and to show an interest in their daily life.
Mr. Tallach was a true servant of the Prince of Peace. He loved peace and sought and maintained it in church, school and community. This man of God had the spirit of his Master for his home was open to all classes of people who needed help spiritually and materially. Who is to fill his shoes? We look to the great Head of the Church to fill his place in His Church here and in Scotland.
I believe that these words of the Apostle Paul are appropriate to the labours and life of Mfundisi Tallach in Rhodesia: “I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing” (II Tim. iv. 7, 8).
—P.M.