MR. ANGUS FRASER and myself sailed from Glasgow at 8 a.m., Saturday morning, the 19th February. The Lord favoured us with good weather all the way to Cape Town. Our fellow passengers, on the Lord’s Day, with very few exceptions, spent the day at games of several kinds, at card-playing, etc. We concluded that the heathen could not be worse in Matabeleland than those so-called Christians were, as far as the observing of the Sabbath Day holy was concerned, and also as regards the observance of the other commandments of the decalogue.
We arrived in Cape Town at mid-day the 11th March, and I hope felt thankful to the Lord for all the goodness and mercy with which He followed us all the way since we left Scotland. As our journey to Bembesi would take three days and nights, we resolved to wait at Cape Town till Monday. On Saturday evening we visited Mr. and Mrs. Urquhart (daughter of the late Mr. William Fraser, elder, Dingwall), who, and their family, showed us much kindness. Mrs. Fraser came to the station on Monday to see us off. We left Cape Town on Monday the 14th March, at 11 a.m. The train was more comfortable than we could have imagined. We arrived at Buluwayo at 8 a.m. on Thursday, the 17th. Shortly after our arrival the Rev. J. B. Radasi appeared, who gave us a very hearty welcome, and expressed his joy and thankfulness for having the great pleasure of seeing us. I need not say that we were overjoyed at meeting him, especially because he looked so well. Later on two of his elders, who travelled down from Bembesi by train, met us, and gave us a most hearty welcome. As the train for Bembesi did not leave till 12.15 p.m., we went into the town to visit Mrs. MacAulay, who had been in Scotland a few years ago, and found her in good health, and inquiring about many friends in Glasgow. We arrived at Bembesi at 2.10 p.m. Here we were met by a large number of the office-bearers and men of our Mission. Few of them can speak English fairly well, a good many can understand a little and can speak few words, while many were like ourselves—understanding not one word. But the expression of joy in their faces spoke better their inward feelings than the most eloquent speeches could have done, and was far more convincing. After a hearty time of handshaking, they placed our luggage on a four-wheeled lorry and started for the Mission Station at Ingwenya. This waggon was drawn by eight strong bullocks. Rev. J. B. Radasi’s mule, Cape-cart, and driver brought the four of us. We arrived there at 4.30 p.m. Mrs. Radasi met us on our arrival, and showed the same happy feelings on meeting us. Two other lady friends awaited us, received us warmly, and attended to us till we left.
The following day (Friday) about thirty men came, some of them several miles, to visit us and to express their thankfulness to our Church for having sent us, and to ourselves for coming such a long distance to visit them. On Sabbath morning the usual prayer meeting was held at 6.30 a.m. The first service began at 11 a.m., and the second service at 1 p.m. There were about 200 persons present, who remained for both services. The people listened with wrapt attention all the time. A considerable number of women were present having their infants on their backs in shawls—some of them walked several miles to Church. Several of these women were present also at the morning prayer meeting with their babies. After the afternoon service we shook hands with every one present, and it was really the most enjoyable experience we ever have had; for it gave us the clearest possible proof of the wonderful effects of the gospel among this people. There we had before us a people, the most of whom were heathen fourteen years ago—some of them almost naked—now wearing good clothes, and equal in politeness to any of our people at home. What amazed us above all other things was their proficiency in singing the psalms. They can sing the four parts of the tunes with such heartiness, correctness and feeling that we got one of the greatest surprises of our life.
The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was dispensed the following Sabbath. Thursday was observed as a day of humiliation and prayer. There was a prayer meeting held in the morning at 6.30. A service was held at 11 a.m., attended by one hundred and fifty. There are no evening services held, because some have to walk long distances through the bush and without roads. On Friday a prayer meeting was held. Five men prayed over and above ourselves. We could not understand a word, but we were much impressed with their earnestness and brevity in public. On Saturday a service was held at which about 80 persons were present. On Sabbath a prayer meeting was held at 6.30 a.m. The first service began in the Church at 11 a.m. It was not able to hold all the people, although every inch of space, both on the ordinary seats, the seats of the school in two rows in the passage, and the floor full of women and children. They have an interval of half an hour between the conclusion of the action sermon, and the serving of the tables. We arranged to have the tables served in the open field near the Church. The tables were fenced there and three tables served. There were sixty-four natives sat between elders, deacons, and members—there are five elders, and six deacons, one of the elders and an old woman who is a member, were not able to be present. Several young men (natives) who were employed at Bulawayo, came up on Saturday and went back on Monday morning by train. A few of the heathen were present in the open field. I gave an address after the tables were served and none left till we concluded the services. As regards seriousness and good order all present behaved exceedingly well. Indeed, they sat and listened better than some would in gospel-favoured Scotland. I could not but remember the Scripture:—”The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them: and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing.” I reckon that there would be about 300 present, counting children along with adults. Heavy rain, which continued to pour in torrents at intervals, prevented many of those living at a distance from being present at the service on Monday. Travelling through the bush, and among grass over six feet high in some places, with rain pouring in bucketfuls, requires determination to overcome every bodily discomfort in order to hear the gospel. This is seldom met with nowadays, but there are some of such in Bembesi. Notwithstanding the rain, etc., there were about 80 present. This brought to an end a very enjoyable, and let us hope a profitable communion season.
I promised L. M. Foggin, Esq., Director of Education for Rhodesia, when we met in England, that I would write him from Cape Town on our arrival, as he suggested that it would be a good thing that he should send one of his inspectors to examine the schools of our Mission during my visit, who would give me all the information I might require about our schools, so I wrote Mr. Foggin informing him of our arrival. A few days after our arrival at Bembesi, he wrote me that he had instructed Mr. Lenfesty to arrange about examining the schools before the 10th day of April, and to arrange also for conveyance to bring us to the places where the schools were located. Mr. Lenfesty wrote me that he had arranged to be at Ingwenya on the 30th day of March. After his arrival, we decided that we would examine two of the side-schools on the following day. We left Ingwenya about 7 a.m. for the school at Induba. There were 14 boys and 30 girls on the roll of this school. The children had very few books, no slates, or blackboard, chalk, or register. The inspector promised that he would order registers to be sent, and Rev. J. B. Radasi suggested, that, as he had procured a new blackboard for the school at Ingwenya, the old one would be sent to Induba; he also offered to give lessons to the teachers as to the method of keeping a register, etc. I asked Mr. Radasi to provide books for the children, whose parents were unable to pay for them, at the expense of the Church at home, and also for the children of such of the heathen as might refuse to provide their children with books; also that slates should be provided where it was found necessary, and that chalk should be sent there. A large number of the children were not able to read the alphabet, as they had been not long in school. A few could read the Bible, in their own language, tolerably well.
After this school was examined, we came back to the waggon, drawn by eight mules, which Mr. Lenfesty brought. He had ordered his driver to have breakfast ready for us in the open veldt beside the waggon at 10 a.m. Breakfast finished, we started for the other side-school at Morven at 11 a.m., and arrived there at 1 p.m.
We found that there were 11 boys and 19 girls on the roll of this school. Several of the young ones, who had not been very long in the school, did not know the alphabet, but five read the Bible very well, and answered questions based upon parables fairly well. The teacher had a blackboard, and the same instructions were given as regards books, slates, etc., as at Induba. So we started on our home journey at 4 p.m., and arrived at Ingwenya at 6.
The following day (Friday, 1st April) we began to examine the main school at Ingwenya at 8 a.m. There were 56 boys and 48 girls on the roll of this school—85 were present. The Inspector began with those in Standard IV. They showed a good knowledge of arithmetic up to compound multiplication, could read their own language fluently, and showed writing upon their slates, in English, which revealed a fairly good knowledge of spelling, and some very neat handwriting. Standard III. was then examined. They made a fairly good appearance. They were able, tolerably well, to count up to simple multiplication; could read Kafir fairly well. Classes 3 and 4 were examined as to their knowledge of English. Some of them did not know much of it; but others revealed a better understanding of it than one would have imagined they possess when spoken to in that, to them, strange language. What I felt was that they knew much more of English than I knew of Kafir. These two classes were tried in Bible reading; all of them could read the Bible, and a good number could read it with good fluency. Several questions were asked, based upon two of our Lord’s parables. To these intelligent and thoughtful answers were given. Classes 3 and 4 (present) numbered 26, and Class 2 numbered 8, so that there were present that day 34 who can read the Word of God in their own language. This brought to an end our work. There is another side school at Bembesi, six miles away, composed of F.P. Church and Methodist’s children, which is taught by a F.P. teacher; but, as the schoolhouse belongs to the Methodists, I did not go to examine it, as it might be construed to mean that we wished to capture their children. When I shall ascertain the number of our children attending that school, I will insert it in figures. Totals on the rolls—Induba, 44; Morven, 30; Ingwenya, 104; Bembesi, about 22 = 200.
I feel it to be my duty to express my appreciation of the masterly manner in which Mr. Lenfesty carried out his duties as Inspector, and especially in Bible knowledge. I should like our Synod to pass a resolution of appreciation, acknowledgment, and thanks to L. M. Foggins, Esq., Director of Education, Salisbury, Rhodesia, for the kindness and consideration he has manifested towards Rev. J. B. Radasi all along, and for his kindness and good assistance towards the success of our Church’s deputies in connection with our Schools and Mission in Bembesi.
The school-houses at Induba and Morven are quite good and large enough for the number of children attending in these places. The school-house here in Ingwenya is the Church in which they worshipped on Sabbath formerly and taught on the week-days. It is now far too small for the number of children attending here. The Inspector of Schools suggested that a much larger house should be built which would give ample space for Standards II., III., IV. and V., and that the present house should be used for infants and Standard I. He suggested also a plan of a brick house, which would not cost very much and which would suit the place and the children better than an expensive house of corrugated iron and brick.
Last Sabbath, being the third since our arrival, a service was held at Induba at noon. Induba is about seven miles from Ingwenya toward the north-west. There were fully one hundred present, counting children. Chief Pitisani was present and his three wives. He does not pretend to have embraced Christianity: but he is kind to Rev. J. B. Radasi, and received us very friendly and showed us the utmost respect. I may mention that the teacher of our school at Induba is a brother of his. All present (and there were a few of the heathen Matabele there) attended after an exemplary fashion to the sermon, and did not move till the end of the service. All flocked around us to get a shake of our hands, and to express the great pleasure it gave them to meet us. I may say that the kindness revealed by this poor, despised, and traduced people, could not be surpassed. They have been, out of their poverty, pouring into Rev. J. B. Radasi’s house fowls, eggs, butter, sheep, etc., since we have come, in such abundance that we may say that “there is enough and to spare.” The gospel has produced here the same fruits which follows it wherever it comes in “power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance.”
Last Wednesday (6th April) we went to Morven to hold a service. Morven is fully eight miles from Ingwenya, towards the north-east. There was a good gathering. What strikes one most in every congregation here is the extraordinary number of children. Almost every woman has a child on her back, and about three children squatting on the floor for every adult present. They remind one of the manner in which the children of Israel multiplied under oppression in Egypt. It seems the Lord is multiplying the people of this dark continent for some purpose which has not come to light yet. May it not be that the time of their deliverance from the Egyptian darkness in which they have been for the last four thousand years is drawing nigh?
On the fourth Sabbath we went to Bembesi, which is about five miles from Ingwenya. There is a good brick Church there, about one mile from the railway station at Bembesi. This place lies to the south-east of Ingwenga. There were about sixty present, counting all except infants. They all sat and listened in a very orderly way, as they have done in all our preaching stations here.
We have now visited the three places where services are being held every Sabbath by our elders—Mr. Radasi going to each of the three a Sabbath in each quarter of the year. Mr. Radasi goes occasionally also to preach in the kraals of the heathen, bordering on our Mission, and now and again, out of these kraals, one and another begins to attend the Sabbath services in Ingwenya. Mr. Fraser and himself held a service in one of these last Friday at which 80 were present.
In the week-day school at Ingwenya, the first classes are held from 7 till 9 a.m., and the same is done at Induba and Morven. These early classes are kept on account of the fact that the children have to herd their cattle through the day, as they have no fences around their corn fields. The other classes begin at 10 a.m. and finish for the day at 1 p.m. This shows the diligence with which all the work of the Mission is attended to, and that nothing is left undone in the religious or educational sphere that might help the advancement of both among our people and their children.
When I examined the lease of the site of our Mission at Ingwenya, I noticed that, on account of two conditions which it embodied, it was not a satisfactory agreement. I wrote the Resident Commissioner at Salisbury about it, and pointed out the conditions where unsatisfactory. I suggested that (1) the Government, on account of the good work accomplished by our Mission, both educationally and religiously, since its inception, should give us a free grant of the site, or failing that, which I hoped not, that (2) they would sell us the site at a reasonable price; or (3) that a lease of thirty years, at least, should be given at the rent paid at present of £1 per annum. The Resident Commissioner’s reply was favourable so far as he was concerned. He advised that I should write The Secretary-Commissioner’s Department, Salisbury, which I have done. As the Commissioner is just now on a visit to Northern Rhodesia, I am not likely to have his reply as regards these conditions before leaving Africa; but let us hope that they may agree to the first, and if not, to the second or third of my suggestions.
P.S.—Since the above Report was written and forwarded to Scotland, some things came to our knowledge to which we would direct the attention of the Synod:—The arrangement made with the Methodists at Bembesi, when the son of one of our elders there was engaged by that body to teach their children, was that they would not interfere with the young man as regards religion, and that he was to attend the religious services held by the F.P. Church. When we arrived at the Mission, Rev. J. B. Radasi told us of this arrangement, and that our children at Bembesi attended the Methodist School taught by this F.P. young man. We consented to this arrangement, and felt satisfied that the conditions upon which the young man agreed to teach were quite satisfactory. The week before we left it was reported to us that the Methodists had broken their promise made to the young man’s father, by offering the young man that, if he would join their Church, they would send him to be trained for the ministry of their Church. This was done without the knowledge of the teacher’s father, and in violation of the contract agreed to when they took him to be their teacher. The parents of all our children who attended the Methodist School withdrew them at once, and in these circumstances we arranged with Rev. J. B. Radasi to take steps to have a school started there to teach the children of our families, and any others who might desire to come to our school.
We deprecate very much the unfaithfulness manifested by these men in this breach of contract with the boy’s father, and the effect that such conduct is bound to have upon the minds of the natives. The boy called at the Mission station to see us, and we warned him of the consequences of disobeying his father at the instigation of other unscrupulous men.
The Missions to the west of our Mission station, have been doing their utmost to break up our people by setting up churches and schools amongst them, but our people have continued faithfully to attend our own Church and school at Ingwenya, so that they had to close, at least, one of these schools as none of our children went near it. We were compelled by their indefatigable efforts to encroach on our Mission, which was set up years before these men appeared on the spot, to advise Mr. Radasi to start a school about five miles to the west from Ingwenya. We expect to hear from Mr. Radasi soon as to these two side schools. We commend to the Synod, the arrangements made with Mr. Radasi as to these schools and the salaries to be paid to the teachers.
In conclusion, we desire to emphasise the satisfaction the work done in the Mission gave us, and that it exceeded very much our highest expectation. May the Lord continue to prosper His own cause in the hands of Mr. Radasi, and may He confound any efforts that may be put forth to damage that good work among our people there. We “commend them to God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to build them up, and to give them an inheritance among all them who are sanctified.” N. C.
P.S.—Last week I received the usual yearly contribution to Foreign Missions, viz., £12 5s. 7d., sent from our friends at Ballina, New South Wales, per Mr. James D. Kidd. We are confident that we express the mind of this Synod by thanking them most sincerely for their hearty support of our Foreign Mission hitherto, and by assuring them that their liberality has been appreciated very much by all concerned.
Mr. Kidd in his letter renewed the request that a minister of the Free Presbyterian Church would go to assist them there for a year, and that such as may go may be eligible for receiving a call from them. I hope the Synod will take this renewed appeal into its serious consideration, for we all have, in our inmost heart, the deepest sympathy with our people there in their isolated position. N. C.