AS Dr. Macdonald is at home and he is to report on our work here in general I shall confine myself to a few notes on each station.
Shangani.—After Chief Betisane’s death in 1930 a number of people left this locality with the result that our congregation here has progressed little since that date. Now, there are indications that people are settling down along the Inkai River and consequently, opportunities for preaching will be greater in the future. Certainly we noted a number of new faces among hearers last year and we trust that this is a sign of more prosperous times here. There was one woman added to the church last year. The school continues to do well and was very favourably reported on by the Inspector.
Murray Farm.—Our people at Murray Farm have again settled down. This is the second shift they have had in two years and in these circumstances it is gratifying to note that the congregation has held together very well. They have built a new meeting house and have begun to preach among their new neighbours. At our last communion there were six persons
forward for membership. Considering the short time we have been established in this district we thought it better to leave over the admittance of these persons until this year. Here is a question put to one of those examined there. “Provided that you are given church privileges, have you no fear that you may bring disgrace on the cause of Christ?” Her answer was unexpected—almost startling, “No, if only I will experience every day the joy of the Lord as I experience it to-day, I will have no fear.” Parents at Murray Farm are very interested in their children and their work, with the result that the school is well attended. In general the harmony and warmth of this congregation make visitation something to look forward to.
Usangu.—When Murray Farm people left Usangu a number remained behind and of this number there were four men who could hold services. Under the blessing of the Lord and their labours the congregation has increased so much that it is again up to its former numbers. Our friends here are full of enthusiasm for the Kingdom, and the Lord has so blessed them that six were added to the Church here last year. This is one of our most lively out-stations as was seen on Communion Sabbath. There were about 200 present and it is not too much to say that the attention was intense. The large number of children among them has raised the question of a school. The farmer on whose ground they live is far from being favourable to mission work and they were advised to seek permission to build on an adjoining farm—Drumoland. This permission they have now obtained from Mr. J. West, and a meeting house is being erected there now. If the Department will approve of a school we will require to consider giving such school our support for one year—that is, until it is grant earning. The people are warm, united and loyal, and in every way worthy of our help in the matter.
Bubi.—One of our elders, Isaiah Mnyati, who went to live in Bubi River district about five years ago began preaching at his home. He attended Communion at Ingwenya and on one of his visits we proposed to go and hold services at his
kraal. He told us to wait until he was able to gather a definite congregation about him. Towards the end of last year he sent word for us to visit him but as the rainy season had set in we put it off. We will visit his place as soon as possible. In the meantime there is word to the effect that there is a number of inquiring and serious people attending his preaching, and at present a meeting house is in course of erection. There too the cause has been strengthened through some of our Boarding School girls who have gone home with grace in their hearts and it would seem a definite witness on their lips. It has encouraged us greatly to hear of their efforts to make their people and heathen friends attend services. Probably for the same reason there is an increase of girls to the Boarding School from this district.
Queen’s Kraal.—Services here under Deacon Miki have been discontinued as he himself has gone to live at Queen’s Mine. He immediately began to preach both in the Mine compound and in the kraals and the latest news is that he is building a meeting house. From this it seems clear that he is having more encouragement than he had at Queen’s Kraal.
Stephen’s Farm.—This is really Enduba Farm although until now we have called it Stephen’s. We did this to evade confusion with the “Enduba” already existing. As the former Enduba will be permanently closed this year Stephen’s Farm will be known as Enduba after this. Last year you promised to help us to open a school here. The school is now open and is on a grant earning basis but these grants not materialising until March, 1937, we will require to fall back on you to pay the teacher the first year’s salary. This will be £5 per quarter. The teacher is a member of Ingwenya and so far the school is well attended. This is a young station but under the hand of the Lord wonderfully virile. A meeting house, put up last year, is already too small to hold the congregation. It is to be noted too that scarcely a quarterly meeting passes without some people from Stephen’s Farm coming forward for membership.
Enduba.—I regret that the elder belonging to this station, and who was put under discipline last year, has not returned to a right mind and that his wife has also left us. Services were held regularly by a deacon from Ingwenya. The school was closed last year and will not be opened again. The reason for this will be given when we report on Elebeni.
Elebeni.—As before noted this is our largest out-station. There are over 80 members. The number of children attending school has been as high as 120 and here too one finds a good number of young men in regular attendance. The two stations, Elebeni and Enduba are on Gravesend Farm and as this farm was sold last year, the people have notice to clear off by June this year. This is a sad blow to us. Preaching has been going on at Enduba since 1913 and at Elebeni since 1922. This move will affect about 80 of our members—50 at Elebeni and 30 at Enduba, while it will affect two schools with a total enrollment of 160 also. A part of our Elebeni people are on the Reserve and they are not affected. We will require to provide for them by way of setting up a new meeting house and school on the Reserve and the elders have already been told to approach the chief with view to site selection. We propose to build a good meeting house as far west on the Reserve as we can get. As a school or meeting house on a reserve will be a permanent building we hope to make a good job of it. Doctor Macdonald will explain matters to you in this connection. We have laid before our people the advisability of cleaving together and we believe that, on the whole, they will not scatter. A good number are seeking to get on to Intabazinduna Reserve (the Reserve where we are placed) but the chief is not willing to admit them. The Native Office, however, is keen on their coming here and there have been meetings in connection with the question. Nothing is settled and so far as we are concerned the whole matter is in the hands of the Lord and we must wait and see what he has for us. “What is good the Lord will give; our land will yield increase;” and if this last will be fulfilled, then a scattering of His people, though sore, will prove a blessing.
Cameron and Mpengesi’s Kraal.—Both these are Fingo stations and require no comment except to say that the work goes on as before.
Luti’s Kraal.—When we began work here the chief gave strong promise of support. This he has failed to make good and in consequence we have made little headway here. On a recent visit I found the chief away from home at a Beer-drink. We made a mistake too, by entrusting the preaching here to a young man. He got discouraged. However, one of our elders went there lately and reported on the work and under his suggestions things should go on better.
Que Que.—Dr. Macdonald visited this station last year. I am glad that George Hlazo, our elder there, has returned to Stephen Hlazo’s farm.
Ingwenya.—The ordinary attendance on the means is worse here than at any of our out-stations. The reasons for this and a remedy were sought after a full discussion in last Quarterly meeting. Miss Nicolson is reporting on the school work generally. So far as the gospel among the school girls is concerned we have to praise the Lord that he has given us great encouragement during the year. Seven older girls were given full privileges and three of the younger ones received the Sacrament of Baptism. One or two things of interest are to be noted in this connection. In nearly every case each one could tell the sermon or portion of truth blessed to her conviction and some could tell the truth also blessed to their relief. These girls come from homes widely distant from each other, yet on coming back to school this year, they all seemed naturally drawn together. This is so true that one would almost say that there is some kind of unofficial sisterhood among them. Some of those members are now teaching in the Sabbath School and come to me on Saturdays for S.S. lessons. As the girls are now in their houses the head girl of each of three of the houses is a member. As far as possible she takes the place of mother, taking worship, etc., morning and evening with the children. From outside sources we hear of some of these girls bearing witness to the Gospel
in their homes and this is cause for further praise. As an offset to this we have had the sore trial of sending two girls home for bad behaviour. This is done only in extreme cases and to warn others. It was no light work to send away girls for whom we had often prayed and upon whom we had often laid the claims of the Gospel. Personal contact over a period of years made one of them almost like one of our own; but the Lord gives songs in the night and we are not without a song to His praise in this connection. On going home one of these girls attended the nearest meeting house and to all appearances the means there, coupled with the discipline, has been blessed to her. She now appears a broken girl, and the change is being noted by others.
General.—(a) New Teachers. One at Ingwenya and one at Cameron school and one at Stephen’s Farm. (b) Grants. Total for year earned—£554. Total paid—£517. This is our full quota for this year. (c) Medical. Thanks for grant of £20 for medicine. To date Medical grants have not yet been paid. (d) Buildings. Four houses are ready and a fifth is ready for roofing. Added to this is a nice three-roomed house for teachers. This last was put up by a gift of money from Kames and Lochgilphead friends. The teachers’ and three of the girls’ houses are now occupied and a fourth will be occupied shortly. (e) New Buildings. During this year we shall require to build a new meeting house at Elebeni and as Cameron School is in a bad state we shall have to renew the building there. What the girls call a “praying-room,”—a room for retiring to for meditation, etc., is to be built in connection with the boarding school. A gift of £10 from Mrs. Chisholm, Glasgow, makes this possible. We are to re-roof our wash house. It was not a very good roof, being made of felt. We are to thatch it this time. (f) School Reports. All these were up to average. This week we had a short visit from the Director for Native Education and his comments on what he saw greatly encouraged us. We do not go in for anything elaborate in way of buildings, uniforms, etc., and he was gratified to see that we were
approaching our work from the right angle. By cutting out everything artificial and making education as natural and as near to native life as possible we were offering an education which would be of definite use to the children in after life. (g) Members. During the year 32 persons were added to the Roll, of this number three were from other churches. Two people were dealt with under discipline. During the year we were helped by many friends. I thank the following especially—Portree S.S., Vancouver S.S., Dunbarton S.S., Raasay School, Mrs. Miller, Mrs. McIntyre, Miss Sansum, Mr. McGilivray, Miss K. Gillies, Glasgow, A. McLennan, Master S.S. “Aloe.” On the ground here we have again to thank Mrs. Nicolson and Mrs. Macdonald for help in sewing, etc. And to all friends whom we have not mentioned by name we give warm thanks. May they continue to remember the work for the Lord’s sake. This is a remembrance worthy of all we can give. We were pleased to make the acquaintance by letter of Mr. A. McLennan, a Durban gentleman, from Raasay, who, exiled from his Church, does not forget her. It strikes me that there may be other friends in Africa who may wish to get in touch with the mission. If home friends will carry an invitation from us to all such we shall thank them.
I cannot close without a passing reference to Miss McAskill’s visit. We looked forward with such pleasure to her visit and our expectation was not disappointed. The smell of the sea and the scent of the heather still lingers about Ingwenya. A hearty welcome awaits any who will follow Miss McAskill’s example.
We are happy to know that Dr. Macdonald and his family arrived safely and we know that all friends will do their utmost to give them a really good holiday.
I close with our united sympathy with the Church in her present trouble. We have told some of our people here what the trouble is about and they are in hearty sympathy with you. The Lord has a great name for turning the battle at the gate and it is our prayer that He will do so in this case.
Report by Rev. R. Macdonald, M.B., Ch.B.
M R. MODERATOR, Fathers and Brethren. It is with much pleasure that I stand here to give in verbally my report. It is nearly eight years since in this hall I was ordained as a Medical Missionary to the natives in Matabeleland in Southern Rhodesia. It is somewhat appropriate that I should now, in this place, give in my report. I begin by acknowledging the goodness of the Most High in bringing us safely to this country, and I also wish to record my deep appreciation of the welcome extended to us, to my wife and myself, by this Court, as expressed in the words of the Moderator, and we cannot fail to be touched by the kindness with which we were met and the sympathy from our people wherever we have been.
I would also like to refer to the change in the personnel of the Foreign Missions’ Committee since I went out to South Africa. I refer to the late Reverend Neil Cameron, who was the Convener of the Foreign Missions’ Committee from its beginning until his death. He was associated with the work of the Foreign Missions all along, and was greatly interested in it, and he also visited the Mission. Now, his praise is in all our churches at home, and it is also in our church in South Africa where his visit is well remembered still. He rests from his labours. He has entered into his rest.
Now, we are given a grand conception of the Christian Church on earth in its unity, the unity of the members with the head, and the members one with another. Thousands of miles separate us in this country from South Africa, and there are great differences, of race, of colour, of language, of ways of thinking, of ways of living between our people and those natives of Africa. I may say that between us as races there are few points of affinity. There are points that repel and from a natural point of view I may say that there are many things that do repel, and that the races, white and black, do repel one another. There is such a thing as the colour question, and it is an insidious question, although of no great consequence in our own country, but to all who look upon this from a Christian
point of view we must believe like the Apostle Paul that there is neither Jew nor Greek, that there is neither Jew nor Gentile, and we may say neither black nor white, and that there is truth in this. Those who follow the teachings of the New Testament require no argument. It follows naturally from the teachings of the New Testament, and we expect such differences to fall away, but there is a challenge to those who may regard the doctrines of the New Testament as mere fantasies. There is a challenge in the fact that heathen natives in South Africa have been and are being converted to the Lord Jesus Christ, and that they show in their lives, in their conduct, in the whole transformation of their characters, the power of God unto salvation.
Now, as to your Foreign Mission in Matabeleland. It is a labour and it is a sowing and a reaping. The sowing has been going on as far as we are concerned as a Church since the Rev. J. B. Radasi began to labour there about a quarter of a century ago. It is carried on by the recognised diets of public worship. There have been going on regularly the Sabbath Services, the week-day services and so on.
The sowing goes on through the work of leaders who have been since going out to the various stations to preach the gospel, and it goes on also in the life and conversation of these people who have been obedient to the gospel, in the life and conversation of men and women who have been converted, and that this is a real thing can be seen by those who care to take notice, for at least many of those natives who are converted it is not too much to say that when they throw off the old things that they are really men and women with one idea, and with one thing to speak about, and that they do love in ordinary conversation to speak about the things of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. The sowing is also done in a less conspicuous way. I will give an instance of a girl who was baptised last year, a girl in her early teens who had come from a heathen kraal to the school at Ingwenya. No particular notice was taken of her, but she progressed and was learning just like all the
others, but later she came forward to be baptised. Now, I may mention that when these people come forward to be baptised, that is adults, the examination is just the same as if they had come forward asking for full membership in the Church. It is because it is their own desire to be baptised, and the matter rests there. But the point I wish to make is this, that if they were all examined for full membership the examination is the same. This girl received baptism and it transpired later that quietly during her holidays she went home to her heathen kraal and there on her own initiative began family worship and insisted on reading the Bible to her parents. Well, that is a sowing, and how much of that quiet sowing there may be going on no one can tell.
It was the intention of the church that the medical work should be an aid in the sowing. This is our only justification in attempting medical work there, that we may by these means be enabled further to sow the seed of the Word. And the same applies to the educational work. But I would not like that the educational and medical and the ministerial work of the mission should be dissociated in your minds as if they were three separate things. There is a sowing, less regular, perhaps, but a real sowing through the educational work. There is a ministry, a sowing through the instrumentality of medical work as well as the more regular and organised ministerial work. One thing we must acknowledge, and I hope with reverence and in humility, and that is, that there has been a reaping also. The Lord has and is now graciously blessing the weak efforts of our church in the foreign field. The report of Mr. Tallach is before you, and I do not wish to encroach in any way upon his report. It corroborates what I now say, that there is a reaping for which we should be humble, because we are unworthy that God should so bless us as a Church, and I, and I am sure those associated with me in the foreign field, would like to retire into the background, that you might see the work of God alone in this, but of necessity we are forced into the foreground, and the whole Mission would appear to revolve
round us, the Europeans, but this is to take an altogether wrong view of the matter. It is first of all a work of God as we must thankfully confess, a work which He is pleased in a measure to bless. The true picture is a harvest scene—the gospel and the grace of God going forth to conquer and conquering. In a small measure this is true, but in a real measure.
Now, there are also in the foreground other questions of a more practical nature. Our Convener, Mr. MacIntyre, has already referred to the question of water. Now, the whole work of the Mission revolves round this water question. You will understand what I mean. We have one well sunk within the ground of the mission. It is 100 feet deep, but is a very poor source of water. As Mr. MacIntyre has said, this may have something to do with the bad years that Southern Rhodesia has been experiencing as far as rainfall is concerned, and the underground water-level in the country is appreciably sinking, so that all wells throughout the country have to be deepened, but the mission is unfortunately so placed in this, that the formation of the ground where it is makes it difficult to find water at a reasonable level. Now, the well itself does not give sufficient supply of water. Towards September, October and November, it is with the greatest care that we can have water even for the most essential purposes, and many things must be held over through the lack of water.
Mention has been made of a pump; this pump is a hand-pump. There was a pipe leading down the well and there was a pump worked by hand. The pump gave in, because the strain on it was too great, and pumps are not made to stand the strain of pumping water at that depth, and so it could not bear the strain and was giving trouble from time to time until at last it has been laid aside. The advantage of having a pump at all was that it raised water much quicker. There is now, as you have heard, on the well an ordinary windlass; that is just a wooden drum with an iron rope round it to which is attached a bucket which is let down into the well. It has the disadvantage of this, that it is very hard labour pulling up 180
feet of wire rope and a bucket at the end. It is also a very slow business and a lot of water is lost in bumping against the sides of the well in coming up. It is a slow business, too slow, in fact, when there is a community of nearly 100 people waiting on this source of supply. The convener has mentioned that I suggested that a storage chamber be made at the foot of the well. This would give a storage at the bottom of the well, but it would in no way increase the amount of water in the well. It is not a satisfactory solution of the question. There is only one satisfactory solution, to my mind, to this question, and that is to try and find a place where a new well could be sunk. Now, it is usually estimated out there that the cost of sinking a well is, roughly, about £1 a foot. That is for the mere digging of the well, the headgear, whether windlass or pump or engine or whatever it is, and the piping and all that are over and above, and would depend on the nature of the machinery or the gear and so on.
I would also like to mention a matter concerning the native Church as considered from a self-supporting point of view; that is, it is legitimate for our Church at home to expect a time when the Church in South Africa shall not be only self-supporting but itself be a missionary Church, and the question may arise in your minds as to when that can possibly be. Now, our people out there are extremely poor. It is not too much to say that they are as poor as they could possibly be. They depend on the economic conditions of the country as a whole, and Southern Rhodesia has come through a depression and suffered like all other countries, and the natives generally throughout the country have suffered also, and are still suffering. The average wage of a native is only about £12 a year. They buy the same quality of stuff that Europeans buy. They pay the same price for it. It is always argued that their standard of living is lower than that of Europeans, and that therefore, they do not require high wages, but it is absolutely impossible for them to have anything else but a low standard of living. Then, although a heathen native wears nothing save a kind of
loin cloth, and never washes himself, and is at no great expense to live, when these people became Christian they then wish to be clean, they wish their children to be clean and be clothed, and immediately there comes upon them an added burden to provide and buy clothing. They will no longer be happy to see their children going about stark naked and washed only when it happens to rain. It will be a long time before these people can be in any real sense self-supporting. The economic conditions of the country are against it. The conditions in the country itself are against it, and while it may be a country easy to exist in because it is warm and things grow with a fair measure of success, that is, the maize, which is the staple diet, to master the climatic conditions and other adverse circumstances in that country in an agricultural way requires not only immense capital but courage and scientific knowledge, which the natives do not possess.
I wish to associate myself with Mr. Tallach and Miss Nicolson in thanking all those who have from time to time sent out useful articles to the Mission, and, my own self, to those who have sent out surgical dressings and so on. These are always welcome and always useful.
Report by Miss J. Nicolson, M.A.
INGWENYA BOARDING SCHOOL opened in February, 1936, with a roll of 220, an increase of about thirty over last year. The First Year class numbers seventy and it is pleasing to note a number of children of correct school age, six years, although the average age is nine.
In previous years much has been said of the class-work done in school. In this report it is proposed to sketch shortly the work and life which lie outside the ordinary school routine.
During the last six months of 1935, three of the new huts were occupied by the boarding girls and now a fourth is practically ready, and the teacher’s house in occupation. Each
hut consists of two rooms, both of which are used as sleeping apartments at night, and a little room at the back with a fire-place where the cooking is done. The houses are arranged in two rows, facing one another, and are neatly thatched and plastered in grey clay. The teacher’s house is placed at the end of the row and looks down the road. Mr. Tallach has laid out little plots of geraniums and a row of jacaranda trees on either side, which give a pleasing appearance to the whole.
Each house is in charge of a head-girl who is responsible for cleanliness and order. The girls take weekly turns in providing wood, fetching water, and preparing food for the resident teachers and themselves. Before school at 7.30 a.m. all the school-rooms and dormitories are swept and dusted and their sleeping mats and blankets neatly rolled and placed on top of their boxes on the floor. All assemble in the Church for worship in the morning but in the evening each head-girl is responsible for taking worship in her own hut.
There are sixty-five girls in the boarding school this year, many of whom have come from distant mission schools, as far as a hundred miles away. It is difficult to ascertain why they have come so far, as there are a number of excellent schools throughout Matabeleland. The girls belong as a rule to ambitious parents who are anxious to have their children educated and trained in home-craft. Most of the parents have some Church connection and the children are recruited from such denominations as Seventh Day Adventists, Wesleyans, Church of England, L.M.S. and American Mission Societies. Some of them have a fair knowledge of Scripture when they come. Nevertheless, it is true to say that with the exception of the Christian girls, using the term in its narrowest sense, their attitude to social and moral questions, beneath a veneer of civilization, is essentially heathen. It is difficult, but most essential to bear this in mind. A few have been brought up in homes of real piety, but the majority have grown up in a society where the old order is disintegrating, where discipline is slack, and the children are
daily witnesses to the life and conversation of all that heathenism implies.
The girls are as various in disposition and character as an European group of the same number would be. Almost without exception they are docile, loveable and eager to please. The difference between a newcomer and a girl who has been a few years in school is very marked. Some knowledge of English, suitable clothing, a few responsibilities of her own, make the schoolgirl self-confident and resourceful.
Care-free as they appear to be they have real problems of their own which never enter into the thoughts of children at home. For instance, many of them are promised in marriage while still children, and cattle are given in payment by their future husbands. In a drought year the cattle may die, or in a dire case of need be eaten, and when the time comes for his daughter to marry, her father, however indulgent in other ways is forced to make her marry the man, regardless of her own feelings in the matter, or incur disfavour in the eyes of all his tribe.
From what kind of homes do these children come? One can only guess from the type of homes around Ingwenya. Within a certain radius of the Mission most of the kraals are neat and clean. A circular fence of thorn bushes, tightly packed together, surrounds a few round huts and within this enclosure the yard is usually swept and clean. One hut acts as a kitchen where the food is cooked on a fire in the centre of the floor, the smoke issuing from the door. There are sleeping huts containing skins and blankets, but windows are rarely found. The more advanced kraals have a hut where the family sit at times and there one may find a box or table with a few plates and cups, a calabash where the milk ferments, and it may be, a barrel half-full of dried locusts.
At Ingwenya one touches only the fringe of native life. Further afield one comes in contact with real heathen homes and people. With a cattle kraal immediately in front of the
dwelling huts, the dirt is indescribable. Children, naked and often covered with sores sit amidst the squalor, making no attempt to brush the flies off their faces. Poverty so extreme can hardly be imagined. Nothing in the way of domestic equipment is to be seen, with the exception of a native clay pot, no plates or spoons, no remnants of cloth, as any garments they have are made at the local store, not even a sheet of paper, for no storekeeper will use his paper on natives.
When one bears in mind that a number of our day-school pupils come from an environment such as this it will be realized that the teachers have much more to do than the mere teaching of reading and writing. So the native housework syllabus includes such topics as, “Why flies should not be allowed to rest on our food. Why we should not draw water from stagnant pools in the river where the cattle stand; and why it is better to eat from a table than from a pot on the floor.” It is pathetic to see such children come to school in cold weather without breakfast and thinly clad. It is then we appreciate the parcels of clothing sent to the Mission by friends at home.
We take this opportunity of thanking the ladies who contribute to the useful parcels of material and thread sent out by the kindness and care of Mrs. MacIntyre, Mrs. Miller and Miss Sansum. We also wish to thank the ladies of the Fladda Congregation for the valuable parcel of home-spun yarn of light and dark blue, every bit of which was used in making scarves and jumpers both by the senior girls and the women’s class. This wool was much sought after and was especially acceptable in many cases for children with weak chests. We miss very much the help Mrs. Macdonald used to give in the sewing-classes, but are glad that she and Dr. Macdonald, who willingly took responsibility for Hygiene and First Aid, are having a well earned change.
Quite a number of attractive baskets have been made during the past year, but as the Government Inspectress has been on furlough we are keeping them meantime for inspection.
We hope this year to add a new item to our scheme of work as Mr. McGillvray has kindly sent us wools and canvas for making pile rugs. We are looking forward to this class. With many other gifts Mr. McGillvray constantly reminds us of his interest in the school work here, in which he says he is greatly assisted by Mr. Grant of the Grant Educational Co.
Mr. Tallach has added considerably to our school equipment this year by making desks, blackboards, etc., and since Dr. Macdonald’s departure has been teaching Hygiene and Scripture to the higher classes which is a great help.
Under Mr. Tallach’s direction Mr. P. Hlazo has been giving the boys practical agricultural work, and their field of mealies will soon be ready for harvest. The irregular attendance of the boys is one of our biggest problems. Every Friday they take the cattle to be dipped and twice a week during the dry season they are required to drive the cattle to a river five miles off to be watered. Naturally their progress at school is retarded by this.
It is difficult to give an adequate idea of the vast field of opportunity there is among the native people in all branches of educational work, of how little is being accomplished, and of the absorbing interest which makes the work its own reward.