AS I sit down to scan the events of the past year in connection with our work here I find that it has been a trying time and that for many reasons. Sooner or later a mission must reach a stage in its history when the number of merely nominal Christians has grown so large that it presents problems altogether its own, and it would seem as if this point has been reached
now by us. Not so many years ago a congregation here would have been composed of true believers with their children and a number of inquiring heathen, now, in addition to those there is present a fairly large body of persons who have been baptised in their youth and who disown all heathenish ways but who are not as yet true Christians. Whether it be at home or abroad we know that the adherence of merely nominal Christians has always a diluting and weakening influence and this is shown here by its reaction on the real heathen. It is natural for the heathen to judge these church-goers to be true members, and to think that the form which they exhibit is true religion. As a result we find that the line of demarkation between Christian and Heathen is not so clearly defined now, and as the issue is thus darkened any appeal made to heathen people is treated with greater indifference. The missionary is faced with a new front and he must seek some new way of approach in order to meet it. This aspect of our work has come to the fore very much this year and will continue to give rise to much anxiety.
Drunkenness has always been an outstanding vice among this people but it is alarming to find that it is much on the increase. As the people have broken almost completely away from the old tribal bonds, so too, have they broken with many of their old ways of spending spare time. As a result many of the young unconverted men find themselves at a loose end over the week-ends and it is here that the demand for diversion takes on the call for beer-drinks. Over the week-ends numbers of young men from the towns, flock to the reserves in search of beer-gatherings and the people in reserves are only too forward to accommodate them by catering to this degrading habit. Some of the churches also show great laxity in dealing with this question, members are permitted to attend beer-gatherings and even preachers can hold these gatherings in their kraals without fear of censure. This extraordinary weakness in church morals along with the prevalence of the sin have gone far to blunt the public conscience on the matter and even true Christians do not feel as tenderly about
it as one would wish. We were told of some members who at the demand of their heathen husbands brewed beer and this brought the matter up before our quarterly meeting. There was a lengthy discussion on the best way to meet this evil and it was decided to interview these women and also to make our position more clearly known by special reference to the matter from the pulpit. But even then it was felt that something more was required in order to give a more wide emphasis to our ruling. However our position within and without the church is well established now and there is cause for thankfulness in this. Then to press the lesson still further the Lord permitted one of our deacons to be badly handled by a drunk man. Amos was quietly returning from his usual preaching on the Sabbath when a man sprang out from behind a bush and mounting the donkey-cart he began to belay our friend to the extent of wounding him on the head, forehead, wrist and breaking a bone in his forearm. Report says that this man was returning from a beer-drink held on the Sabbath by professing Christians who belong to one of these churches alluded to above. When questioned as to why he was selected for this assault Amos replied that he had rebuked this man for working on the Sabbath but that at the time he took it in good part. Amos is a little man but with an enthusiasm large enough to rebuke white farmers on occasion. Until they know better many natives look on all white people as Christians; Amos is one who has learned better. I was rather struck with the reply given by one of our elders to a farmer and although it must appear here as a digression it may be of interest to relate the incident. On coming from the Thursday prayer-meeting at Lebeni one of our elders was met by a farmer and the following conversation took place. Farmer: “Well, John! where are you coming from?” John: “I am returning from the prayer-meeting.” Farmer: “What is the use of that, it would be better for you to be ploughing, see the big crops I raise and every year I am able to put money in the bank.” John: “Well, I also plough.” Farmer: “Yes, I know, but you people
do not work hard enough, hard work and not prayer-meetings is my way.” John: “Well, our preachers teach us to work hard too.” Farmer: “Do they? that is the preaching I like.” The farmer was of course, an employer of Native labour. John: “As well as our preachers preaching it, the Bible also teaches it to us.” Farmer: “Does it?” John: “Yes, for it says, that with the sweat of his brow man is to earn his bread.” Farmer: “Oh! yes, I remember that there is something like that in it, these bits of the Bible are all right.” John: “But it teaches even more on these things.” Farmer: “What more?” John: “It teaches me that of all the money you have you will not take one penny with you when you go to meet your God.” Farmer: “Away with talk of that kind! I do not want to hear one word of it.” The farmer leaves in anger. In these circumstances it is good for us to remember that though the waves shall surely make a mighty noise yet that this is as much as they are able to do: when the spray has lifted a little we still see our Lord seated unmoved on His throne making all things work together for our good.
We went to Shangani in April and again in October and we held Communion services on both occasions, having three persons added to the membership on the first visit. One of these, a woman, was interesting, for as she presented a particularly broken appearance I enquired into her history. She had been a pupil in our school there and having learned to read her Bible she understood some part of her duty to the gospel. On leaving school she married a heathen and gave up all connection with the Mission and threw aside whatever good she had learned, not giving her Bible even an occasional look. Two children were born to her and both died (a serious thing this for a native woman married to a heathen) and as she turned over her sorrow in her mind the thought came to her that God was taking her children from her because she was to bring them up as heathen and considering her own privileges the Lord demanded and
expected better of her. This thought led to a work of deep conviction. About two weeks ago I had the news of the death of one of the Shangani schoolgirls. Her father is a polygamist and his wives do not attend church. By her coming to school the little one learned not only about the Saviour but also got into the habit of church going. On the day of her death she told her father that she was going to Heaven sometime that day. She told her parents not to weep for her as she had learned to trust in Jesus and that she was happy now to go and to be with the Saviour of whom she had heard so often in the preaching.
We made two visits to Outspan Reserve station and held communion services on both occasions. There is a good sized congregation there and a number of earnest hearers. There were five persons added to the membership on the first visit. One of these was a very old woman who can never hope to read for herself. Yet she answered the questions put to her in a way to make one wonder. It was a joy to listen to her and I asked the elder to continue questioning her but he refused to do this giving this as his reason: “That woman is so old that she cannot read for herself yet she has such knowledge and experience that it is clear that the Holy Spirit alone has taught her, I am afraid to go on questioning her lest I grieve Him, being found doubting and questioning what is so evidently His own work.” John is very tender on such matters.
We had great pleasure in visiting Stephen Hlazo’s place at Que Que and as it was during the winter holidays we were accompanied by Mrs. and Miss Nicolson. Both Stephen and his wife are enterprising and advanced natives and they had no difficulty in making the ladies most comfortable. You will recall that George Hlazo was the elder there. Three people came forward and were received; one of the number being a daughter of Stephen Hlazo. Since this visit George has gone a bit further away but services are regularly held by Stephen.
The number of members added to the congregation here at Ingwenya is 8. I have nothing very definite to report regarding
the opening of new stations. One of our deacons who went to work at a place about twenty miles from here and in the direction of Inyati began to preach among the people there with the result that the chief sent one of his men to ask us to begin regular work there at his kraal, but I can write nothing definitely about it until I have interviewed the Native Commissioner on the matter.
You will recall that our people at Murray Farm were shifted and that a number of them went to stay at Outspan Reserve. Knowing that a number was left behind on Murray Farm we paid them a visit and found quite a good congregation with three male members who held services regularly. In October we returned and held communion services and at a congregational meeting on the Monday we assured the people that we would still take charge of them. They were very happy to hear this as somehow they thought that we would confine our attention to the majority who had left. They brought up the question of re-opening the school but we will refer to this later.
Two of our local preachers paid a visit to Luti’s kraal about ten miles away from Ingwenya and he received them kindly and asked that one of the Europeans should pay him a visit. This we did and after the preaching the Chief made a short speech in which he invited us to begin regular services at his kraal. A deacon has been given this work but he is employed elsewhere at present, however, as soon as he is relieved, work will begin there.
The opening of a school at Stephen’s Farm is long overdue and I had hoped to open it this year but on talking over the matter with the Inspector of Schools I found that although he was willing to endorse our application he could give no hope of grants in aid. By a new system of allocating grants each mission has a fixed amount promised and no promise of more. In this way the financing of new work falls entirely on the mission concerned. I do not think that it is the duty of any mission to bear the full burden of any school but I promised to put this case before your Committee. Work has been going on there
now for about six years and there is a membership of about 15 and as this means a fair number of children who are growing up without as much education as will enable them to read their Bibles the matter is a serious one both for them and for us. The people have promised to help as far as they are able, that is to raise about £4 a year for the school but this is only about a quarter of a teacher’s salary. Perhaps some congregation may make cases such as these their special interest. The above remarks also refer to the re-opening of Murray Farm school noted above. We have now no teacher under Standard VI. teaching in any of our schools, and from the point of view of education this is an advance.
Although Miss Nicolson is reporting on the school work here at Ingwenya a few remarks from me may not be out of place. I first remark on the Inspector’s report for last year most of the points of which were communicated to you, and you will recall that all the gradings were returned as “good.” The Committee will appreciate that this very satisfactory state of things is due to the teaching staff at Ingwenya. Miss Nicolson’s burdens are not becoming lighter nor fewer, but her enthusiasm is abating nothing. We do not forget the ladies outside the regular teaching staff who help in Industrial work; for this, warm thanks are due. Mrs. Nicolson keeps a woman’s class during part of the year and although it is not as well attended as we would wish we know that those attending derive real benefit.
In coming to the question of our Boarding School I desire to remove any lingering doubt that education is becoming something more than the “handmaid” to the gospel which we as a Church regard it. I cannot say more than I have said in previous reports regarding the place that religious instruction has in school, or anything more about the compulsory attendance by all girls at public and private means of grace and at Sabbath School and Bible Class. Taking a girl’s life here in the “by and large” the gospel element undoubtedly predominates above all else. We consider that the Most High has put these girls under
our care not merely that they may receive religious instruction but that they may be converted to Himself. For a girl to fail in her examination is to us a comparatively light thing, but for a girl to pass out from our influence yet unconverted is a very solemn thing. Native girls brought to Christ, with the Mission as the means, is at the back of our motive in school work, and no higher aim can be asked from us and a better reason for having a boarding school cannot be found. It is for this reason that we have added this year a week-night service for the girls alone, where the claims of Law and Gospel can be presented to them personally. This is in addition to the ordinary prayer-meeting weekly. One girl became a member last year and it would seem from conversation with them that others are thinking more seriously than appears on the surface.
In last year’s report I told you that we were to charge 30/- for fees. A number of girls used to go to their homes over the week-end but we now require them to stay in school. This will make the food bill higher and to meet this we are now charging £2 per year. We know that we will not get that from all but we have set it as a charge. Fees for Native Boarding Schools in this country vary from £6 to £2. You will consider this very low but it must be remembered that the average yearly income of a native is only £12. Believing as we do that anything run on gospel lines must be run in the spirit of the gospel—must have some element of self-denial in it, we are content to be on the low side in our charges rather than on the high side. Three buildings are almost ready for the girls and a fourth is being built. As our number this year is 56 we hope that the Committee will help us to put up two more at least. When the matter is discussed by the Committee it might be well to remind the brethren of the remarks made in the Inspector’s report regarding our buildings: “The mission is to be commended for putting up very suitable but inexpensive buildings.”
The Government has placed a Jeanse Teacher at Ingwenya. She was partially trained as nurse and will do some nursing and
community work. She is paid entirely by Government and is really a government servant under our charge. Her name is Rhoda Stinta and we welcome her not only for her work’s sake but because she is a grand-daughter of the late Chief John Hlazo who did so much to open up the work here for Mr. Radasi in the early days of the mission. If spared she should be a great help to her people.
So many friends have been mindful of us that it is not possible to remember them all but I should specially wish to thank Mr. McLeod, St. Jude’s, for his kindness in packing and sending the boxes of school goods. Also Mrs. Gollan for the very useful parcel of clothes received lately. Rev. D. Beaton, Oban, keeps us well supplied with reading matter and we are all grateful to him for this. I would also mention the special and handsome gift of £15 sent from Kames Congregation. This is being kept aside to build a teacher’s (native) house later on in the year.
Now I think that I have told you most of the important things. A report is supposed to do this but I think that a Mission report may be expected to do more; it brings before the eyes of the spiritual Israel the cities, Jericho, Ai, and the rest. We look for it that our reports will bring our people about our “walled cities until they are straightly shut in by prayer,” we look that our people will encompass them with the “Ark of the Covenant” seven days of every week. Walls will then fall, for the battle is not ours but the Lord’s. And, if financial help is needed, we will not expect to find even one Achan with covetous heart and hidden gold and silver, “for all of which they put into the treasury of the Lord.”