I must begin by expressing my great pleasure at the privilege of once more addressing the Mbuma Missionary Society in Utrecht.
I wish to convey to you all the good wishes of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and express their sincere gratitude to you for your much valued and continued support to our Mission in Rhodesia.
To be a spiritual member of the family of God is the greatest honour which can be bestowed on any sinner in this world.
Compared to this, the honours, riches and pleasures of the world are of no consequence.
Well did Moses of old understand this when the Word of God tells us, “By faith Moses when he was come to years refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he had respect to the recompense of the reward.” (Heb. II: 24-26).
Equally well did John realise his privilege when he said, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God; therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew Him not.” (John 3: 1).
Paul adds his testimony when he says, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God: and if children then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Rom. 8, 16-18).
God loved His people with an everlasting love.
They consist of a number that no man can number, and shall eventually shine as the stars in the kingdom of their Father singing the praises of His electing love.
In the fulness of the times the Son of God appeared in the nature of man to redeem those who were loved from all eternity.
The Son of God’s love as the Lamb of the Father’s providing fully paid the ransom price for His people by His atoning death on the Cross of Calvary, whereby He satisfied all the claims of God’s holy Law and Justice, redeemed His people from all their iniquities, and purchased for them the life that shall never end.
After His resurrection from the dead He ascended up into heaven where He now makes intercession for His people as the High Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Through Him, the Holy Spirit is poured forth in every age and generation for the ingathering of the elect to Christ.
It needs the divine power of the Holy Spirit to regenerate the soul.
No other power can effect this great change, for the soul is dead in trespasses and sins.
When the Holy Spirit comes He quickens the soul, convincing it of sin and misery, enlightening the mind in the knowledge of Christ, renewing the will and so working that faith which unites the soul to Christ for time and for eternity.
This faith stands not in the wisdom of men but in the power of God, and as faith is the life of the soul, so Christ is the life of faith.
To faith, Christ is very precious, and all that belongs to Him is very precious also.
The Word of God, the Church of God, the Day of God and the worship of God are all highly esteemed by those in whom this precious faith dwells.
As they are united to Christ so all the Lord’s people are spiritually united to one another.
Thus the Scripture says, “And, whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or, one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular.” (1 Cor. 12: 26-27).
Because of their spiritual experience, the Lord’s people fully realise the teaching of God’s Word that the work of the Holy Spirit in calling sinners from darkness to His marvellous light embraces the use of the Word of God.
“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?”
“How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they preach except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things.” “So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” (Rom. 10: 14, 15, 17).
There thus springs up in the gracious soul the desire that God’s Word should be spread abroad in places where the Lord in His providence directs it to be sent, so that by the blessing of the Holy Spirit, Christ would see His seed and that the pleasure of the Lord would prosper in His hand.
This is the work in which we are engaged in Rhodesia, and in which you are liberally helping with your prayers and contributions.
It has often been a wonder to me how Mission doors have been closing down all round the world.
China, once a field of great missionary activity, is closed, and gross darkness has descended upon that nation.
India, too, no longer welcomes the preacher of the everlasting gospel, while Israel firmly slams the door against even those of her own sons who would like to testify to their fellow-countrymen, “we have found the Messiah”.
When the unhappy quarrel arose between Britain and Rhodesia, fears were expressed that this door might also be closed.
The government of the United Kingdom first of all disallowed all finance being sent to Rhodesia, and even when some relaxation was made, the amount allowed to be sent was insufficient to carry on the Mission on the scale hoped for.
It was here that the wonderful providence of the Mbuma Missionary Society in Holland gave a clear sign among many others that it was the mind of the Lord that this door should not be shut against the Word of God being spread abroad in Rhodesia.
Let it be clearly understood that had it not been for the support of this Society, our work could not have been maintained to the extent we desired.
When the Lord opens a door He can keep it open in ways altogether wonderful to His people, though they are often cast down with many fears, “I know thy works; behold I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it; for thou hast a little strength and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.” (Rev. 3: 8).
As, undoubtedly, difficult days lie ahead for Rhodesia, may we not continue humbly to pray, “Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it.” (Is. 65: 8).
In the light of what I have just said, I would like to make a passing reference to the activities of Mr Jan Van Woerden.
As you know, Mr Van Woerden was a lay missionary and a member of our nursing staff at Mbuma Hospital where he was in charge.
He chose to leave our staff and begin a mission of his own which is called the Ebenezer Scripture Mission in Rhodesia and is supported by a Society called the Rhodesian Mission Society in Holland.
Mr Van Woerden’s Mission is run by himself. It has no minister, no Church Courts and no sacraments.
But the point I particularly wish to make abundantly plain is that this Mission of his has no connection whatsoever with the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland.
Any impressions which may be given to the contrary are not true and I hope the position is now clearly understood by all concerned.
Rev. Petros Mzamo still carries on his labours at Mbuma Mission.
At communion services held at the end of April, the attendances were greater than ever before.
The number of young people there and the spirit of close attention to the preaching of the Word was refreshing to see.
On the Monday of the Communion the Rhodesian Presbytery received a young man who is to commence studying with a view to the ministry.
His name is Nathaniel Mpofu who has been teaching and holding services for years in a remote area on the other side of the Shangani River from Mbuma Mission.
At this communion some came forward to sit at the Lord’s Table for the first time.
All such are under the observation of the minister and elders, and when they come forward they are examined by the minister and elders sitting as the Kirk Session on their experience of the Holy Spirit’s work in their hearts and lives.
These are tokens of encouragement for the missionaries to believe that their work is not in vain in the Lord.
Dr James Tallach has now arrived in Rhodesia and will be taking charge of the Hospital at Mbuma.
An operating theatre is to be built and an X-ray unit bought.
This will extend the work of the hospital and bring more patients to it.
While at the hospital, every endeavour is made to bring the gospel to the patients.
Those of them who are able to do so attend the services, and worship is conducted in the hospital itself every day.
Even when the illness may not be very serious, opportunities do arise.
On the Saturday of the communion mentioned above, a woman arrived suffering from toothache who had walked 17 miles.
She comes from a remote part where the gospel is seldom, if ever, heard.
After the tooth had been removed she set off home with Matthew’s gospel in Sindebele among her belongings. Thus is the seed of the Word of God scattered abroad and the promise will ever stand, “For as the rain cometh down from heaven and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater; so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth; it shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” (Isaiah 55: 10, 11).
Rev. D. Campbell, our minister in Zenka, is at present home on leave in Scotland with his wife and family.
Zenka Mission is a large one and Mr Campbell had a recent ordination of office-bearers which brought their number to 11.
As these men are all active in the Lord’s vineyard, the Mission is in a promising condition.
Like other Mission stations, Zenka has a Central school on the Mission site and a large number of Kraal schools in the outlying areas.
At all these schools, the Scripture and the Shorter Catechism are taught according to a syllabus drawn up by our Church.
In this way the good seed of the kingdom is sown not only in the hospital but in the schools.
As the soul is more important than the body so the spreading abroad of the Word of God is more important even than the healing of the body or the informing of the mind in natural things.
Rev. A. Ndebele labours at Ingwenya Mission.
He too is having encouraging signs of the Lord working to some extent among his hearers.
He has recently commenced services in the City of Bulawayo.
The tendency is for Africans to go to the City where they can get work, and this means meeting with all the temptations which exist in such a place.
The holding of services here is therefore a real necessity as well as an opportunity.
Negotiations are proceeding in the hope of getting a site for a church in Bulawayo.
We hope the Lord will grant this in His own time.
Holding services in Bulawayo means that Rev. A. Ndebele preaches four times each Sabbath Day.
We have no doubt but that he will say with one of the former ministers in the Church in Scotland, “I am often tired in the work, but never tired of the work.”
The Rhodesian Presbytery carries on its activities of supervising the Church work of the Mission.
It will be of interest to you to know that this Presbytery consists almost entirely of Africans.
Indeed, the only European who is a member of Presbytery is the Rev. D. Campbell.
This means that should the political situation deteriorate in Rhodesia to such an extent that the Europeans would have to leave, the Free Presbyterian Church in Rhodesia could still continue on its own.
We hope that such an eventuality will never arise but, if it does, the Lord has prepared the way for the Church to remain even although the Europeans should have to leave.
As well as carrying on its ordinary labours, the Presbytery shows its interest in current events by raising the voice of witness against the errors that abound on every hand.
For instance, we find them protesting to the Cabinet Ministers of Rhodesia against holding meetings on the Lord’s Day and pointing out the nature and danger of such breaches of God’s Law.
Again, we find the protesting against horse-racing and betting on the Lord’s Day, polygamy, and the ancestor worship, which is such a sad feature of the life of the ordinary African.
Thus, the Presbytery endeavours in the strength of divine grace to raise a witness on the side of God’s Word not only within the circle within which it itself moves, but also in circles outside rising even to Government Departments and Cabinet Ministers.
This spirit of witness is a very encouraging feature in a Presbytery so recently formed.
We are commanded by the Lord to acknowledge Him in all our ways and He promises to direct our paths.
Truly we may say at this present time with respect to the Mission, “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.”
For the future we must seek grace to say with the Psalmist,
“And I will constantly go on
in strength of God, the Lord
And thine own righteousness, ev’n thine,
alone I will record.” (Ps. 71, 16)
We call upon you all to join with us in praying the Lord of the harvest to send forth labourers into His harvest in Rhodesia, and pleading that He would fulfil his own promise to His church.
“I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.” (Hosea 14: 5).
May the Lord grant to send a refreshing shower from His presence upon the Church in Scotland, Holland and Rhodesia that His people may be edified and built up in their most holy faith and that these great words of promise might be fulfilled;
“A seed shall service to do him
unto the Lord it shall
Be for a generation reckoned
in ages all.
They shall come, and they shall declare
his truth and righteousness
Unto a people yet unborn
and that he hath done this.” (Ps. 22: 30, 31)
I once more most sincerely thank you on behalf of my Committee, my Church and the people of Scotland for your generous help and your fervent prayers.