Rev. Donald A. Ross
I was once more privileged to attend and address the Mbuma Mission Meeting in Holland, held this year at Geldermalsen. My wife was also invited to attend the meeting, and it was a pleasure for us to meet old friends and to make new ones. Rev. Z. Mazvabo from Zimbabwe and his wife were also at the meeting, as well as Mr D. Vermeulen, Kenya and Malawi, who addressed the young people. There was also an address given by Mr L.M.P. Scholton and four sermons preached by Revs. W. Verhoeks; T. Klock; H. Zweistra; and Tj. de Jong. I endeavoured to speak from the words; “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature,” Mark 16: 15. The meeting lasted for four hours altogether, with an hour and a half interval. Over 7000 people attended and collections taken for the Mission in Africa amounted to £65,000.
It is remarkable that friends in Holland should take notice in this marked way of our small church as it endeavours to spread the word of God in Africa. We believe that one reason for their practical and prayerful help is that they have confidence in us as a church in our seeking to spread the Word of God in its purity. We hope and pray that by the grace of God we will ever maintain the ordinances of the gospel as laid down in the Word of God and formulated in the Westminster Confession of Faith. It is evident that it is the Lord who has graciously opened the hearts of our Dutch friends to be so liberal to the mission work of our Church; and it is a great responsibility for us to be stewards of large amounts of money generously donated for the work of the Kingdom of God among our African congregations.
Much of this money will be used for the schools, the hospital and the orphanage, which, of course, are used as “handmaids for the furtherance of the gospel”. Our prayer should be that those responsible for allocating this money, whether they be on the Mission Field, or on Committees in Scotland, would be given wisdom for the spending of this money to the best possible advantage for the furtherance of the Cause of Christ connected with us in Africa.
Some missions which began on a sound biblical basis have tragically become no more than a social service. The all important work of teaching the Word of God is overlooked and forgotten. We should pray that this would never happen on our mission field. Pray also that God, for Christ’s sake, would by the reading and preaching of the Word, bring many in Africa to a saving interest in Christ. Only then will the giving of our money for the furtherance of the gospel be especially rewarding for us and beneficial to them.
Address by Rev. W. Verhoeks to the representatives and deputies of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland
Dear Mr Ross, Mr Mazvabo and Mr Vermeulen,
As representatives and deputies of the Mission of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, we give you, on behalf of the board and all the friends of the Mbuma-Mission, a hearty welcome on this missionary-day, and we are pleased to have you in our midst today.
Mrs Ross and Mrs Mazvabo also a hearty welcome.
It may be still called a wonder, that it is granted to us, notwithstanding the darkness of times and all the tumult and misery in the world, that we are allowed to come together on this day for the thirtieth time. “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.” (Lament 3: 22).
As you can see, the interest is and the activities are still great.
We do hope, that they may contribute to the upkeep and continuation of the missionwork in Zimbabwe, Malawi and Kenya, under the approbation and blessing of the Lord. For without these, all our labour is in vain.
We do hope, that you and we may have a good day, to the encouragement and supporting of the missionwork, and that all the work may contribute, that also in these remote countries, may be added to the church such as should be saved.
We wish you and your church the indispensable favour and blessing of the Lord in all your missionwork.