THE following letter has been received by the Rev. Neil Cameron, St. Jude’s, Glasgow:—
CO NATIVE COMMISSIONER, BEMBESI,
MATABELELAND, SOUTH AFRICA, 5th May, 1908.
MY DEAR MR. CAMERON,—As I said in my last letter, that I had bought some Shorter Catechisms, and that I was still comparing the questions with the English version to see whether it was a correct translation of the Shorter Catechism,—as far as I can judge, I find that it is a good and correct translation of the Shorter Catechism. I was very glad indeed to see that the passages of Scripture are also given after each answer, so that each reader might see that it is taken from the Word of God. According to the preface, the Shorter Catechism was translated and printed in the year 1864, and was taught in nearly all the Presbyterian schools of that time. It was translated by the Rev. John Bennie of Ncehra, near Lovedale, and was highly prized by the Presbyterian ministers of those days. The preface gives a short history of the Catechism. There are, as you will see, altogether 107 questions and answers with Scriptural proofs after each answer, and I have distributed the Catechisms amongst our people who can read, and they were very pleased to get them.
I have baptized eight infants, children of believing parents, and also two adult persons, who had professed their faith in Christ and obedience to Him, and who had never been baptized in their infancy. They were well reported of by our men, and gave full satisfaction to the questions asked, and as far as we knew, their life and conversation seemed to agree with their profession; and I, therefore, saw no reason to withhold baptism from them, as they had given evidence of having passed a great change. Others were also examined who had professed their faith in Christ and obedience to Him, but gave no satisfaction to the questions asked, and so I had to defer their baptism. I usually defer baptism for several months, after they have given evidences of having been changed by the grace and Spirit of God, in order that I may have good grounds to hope that God had wrought a work of grace in their hearts. We have also had the Lord’s Supper with the few communicants that we have. The services began from Thursday to Monday, just as we do in Scotland. I was surprised to find that other Presbyterian Churches only have the Sabbath Service on a Communion season—the Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Monday Services are done away with. I have made it clear to our people that as far as our Church is concerned, the Communion Services will always begin from Thursday to Monday—Thursday to be observed as a fast day, Saturday to be a preparation service, and on Monday a thanksgiving one. And I also told them that as far as I am aware in Scotland, not only our Church, but all the Presbyterian Churches there, begin their Communion Services from Thursday to Monday. I shall be glad if you will be kind enough to send me those tokens that I asked for, marked “Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland”—tokens for communicants. I have not received the Bibles yet, but I expect them to be here in about a fortnight. I got a letter from the agent of the Bible Society in Johannesburg asking me to inform him as to whether Bembesi was the nearest station to send the Bibles to, and that he would send them to me immediately on receipt of my letter; and I said yes. I shall be very glad when they arrive, as I am already in need of them. You will kindly thank all the friends who contributed towards them.
We are glad to hear that our godly people there are often remembering us before a throne of grace. These are dark days, and we need special grace to keep us, and the Spirit of the Lord to guide us in everything that we do. A Divine work has been done for us, and what we need to partake of it is, that a Divine work should be done in us by the Holy Spirit.
Please give my kindest regards to all the friends, Mrs. Radasi joining. I am thankful to say that our baby girl, born 5th May, 1908, is also keeping well.—Yours sincerely,
JOHN B. RADASI.
P.S.—I am sending you a Shorter Catechism, in Kaffir, to see.
J. B. R.