THE following interesting letter has recently been received by the Rev. Neil Cameron, Glasgow:—
BULAWAYO, MATABELELAND,
30th May, 1906.
MY DEAR MR. CAMERON,—I received your kind letter some time ago, and was very glad to get it, and I am very thankful for the kindness and interest that our people in Scotland are taking in our Mission here; and I am also glad to hear that they are not forgetting us at a throne of grace. We are greatly in need of the prayers of the Lord’s people, in this land of heathenism, darkness, and superstition.
The natives here are having a very trying time. Famine has set in, and a good number of them are scattering in search of employment. The rain came too late—after the ploughing time—and many of them did not plough at all; and even those that attempted to plough have had their crops destroyed by swarms of locusts.
I received the box of Bibles, Catechisms, and Psalm Book all right, and I thank you and Mr. Mackay and all the friends who contributed towards them. I am so anxious that the natives should learn to read their Bibles. Mr. Clunas sent me the £81 sterling, for building my house, and it was built and finished within a week, as all the materials for building it were already made at Bulawayo. I gave the contract to a Scotchman named M’Kentan, who came from Perth, and is now living at Bulawayo.
I was very sorry to hear about Mr. MacKenzie, your deacon, being so seriously ill; it is to be hoped that, if it be the will of
the Lord, he shall be restored to health again. I was also sorry to hear of the death of Mrs. Ross, Miss Mackay’s sister, but was glad to hear that she showed sure signs of being a sinner saved by grace.
I am sure you will all be glad to hear that my house is built, and that our Church has been plastered. We have much reason to be thankful to the Lord for having touched the hearts of the people in Scotland, and made them to take an interest in the poor heathen here. The last I saw of the chief in the services was when he came to the rain services. Of course, he is an old man, about 70 years of age, and he would have to walk about seven miles to come to the place where our Mission is. The largest Congregation we have ever had was when the chief was present at the first rain service on 3rd December last, when he came with about two hundred of his people, and together with the women and children, there were about three hundred people altogether. In the second rain service (10th December), the chief did not come, and there were not so many as at the first.
I am also keeping a day school for the Matabelees, and although I am not charging them anything, the attendance is very small and irregular. Some children come for a week or two, and then you never see them again. They do not yet understand the value of education. The parents have an idea that the children should be paid for coming to school, as they say that they have to leave their work and lose time in order to come to school, and they ought to get something for it. Although Chief Ngege was anxious for a school, he has not yet sent any of his children to school, but he has promised to send one of his boys. He says he would like the boy to live in the Mission with me. It would be a good thing if he was to do that, as it would be a great encouragement to the others, as people here generally follow anything the chief does. I have promised a Bible or a Testament to each child who will continue in school until able to read it. The services are not so well attended. Polygamy and superstition seem to be a great hindrance to the spread of the Gospel. And as you say that “truth will prevail, and that Satan cannot either resist its power in the hands of the Holy Ghost, or keep it from bringing forth fruits in some”—oh, for the grace of faith to believe that truth. I shall be always glad to hear from you, as I am always strengthened and encouraged by your letters. I find the cost of living in Rhodesia very high, and find it difficult to get ends to meet, as everything is so expensive.
You will kindly remember me to all the friends in Glasgow.—
Your sincere friend, JOHN B. RADASI.
Acknowledgment.—Rev. Neil Cameron acknowledges, with thanks, 7/ towards St. Jude’s Building Fund, from a Lady friend, per Rev. D. Macfarlane.