A glance at the map of Africa will reveal that only a small part of the continent lies to the south of the Zambesi River, and that of this sub-continent of South Africa, Southern Rhodesia forms but a comparatively small part. Yet Southern Rhodesia is a vast territory, and while by no means densely populated there are within its borders over a million souls. The indigenous population until recent times, almost within living memory, lived outside the range of all Gospel influence.
The task before the Christian Church, and which she has taken up with considerable zeal is indeed colossal—being nothing less than the task of evangelizing the whole world. Yet it is not an impossible task and in undertaking it she not only obeys the command to go forth unto all the earth, she has the assurance from her Lord that through the preaching of the Word, the earth shall be indeed filled with the Glory of the Lord.
If it is permissible to make a comparison between the missionary activities of the Church in the 1st and 19th Centuries we shall find in both instances a great zeal to carry the Gospel to the “regions beyond,” and a great willingness on the part of individuals to endure hardship and suffering in so doing. We shall further see that this zeal was both the accompaniment and the direct consequence of great spiritual quickening in the “home” centres of Christianity.
It was the simple, and to men, the “foolishness of preaching” which rapidly brought about the downfall of paganism and idolatry within the bounds of the ancient Roman Empire, it is by the same means, with God’s blessing, that we must expect real progress in the Foreign Field to-day. Mention of the Roman Empire draws our attention to at least one difference between missionary work in the Apostolic and that in modern times, a difference because of a difference in the outward condition of those to whom the Gospel came.
Within the ancient Roman Empire civilization had reached a high standard, the unaided human intellect had borne some of its richest fruits in the pursuit of Philosophy and Art. It was to men cultured and educated that the great Apostle to the Gentiles often directed his discourses, whereas in modern times the main missionary activity has concerned itself with bringing the Gospel to peoples who seem to have reached the last degree in brutishness, in whom the intellect would almost appear to be atrophied—left behind in every form of human progress.
The “Regions beyond” to-day almost always means those sections of mankind designated “primitive.”
This, while the direct method of presenting the Gospel Message is unaffected, has imposed the necessity of laying great emphasis on education. In Southern Rhodesia to-day a casual observer might conclude that the many mission stations are so many educational institutions. Large schoolrooms with correlative activities such as agriculture, carpentry, etc.; and a small church building are not exceptions, they are the rule. The State also from a desire for the development and “uplift” of the native population support Missions on a liberal scale financially. This alliance of Mission and State is natural and desirable, and is all to the good. There is, however, a temptation to over emphasise education at the expence of Christianity, and we have already arrived at the point where development and education of a secular kind have outstripped the evangelisation of the native population.
And education, where the Gospel Ethic, not to mention the deeper spiritual meaning, has not been understood and accepted, is proving very disappointing.
There are not many Medical Missions in S. Rhodesia, not more than two or three. I believe one of the chief reasons for this lies in the fact that there are no large centres of population, not even villages in the accepted sense. The native homesteads are scattered over large areas. This makes it difficult and expensive to minister to more than a small number of people. (Thousands of natives of course live in townships which form parts of European towns or cities and other conditions obtain in such locations than on the Missions Stations which are usually far from towns.)
Also the general standard of health is high and does not constitute a challenge in the way the congested cities of India and China have done.
But where there are human beings there is also sickness and suffering and in S. Rhodesia the natives have themselves never evolved any efficient system of combating or alleviating them. On the contrary the general ignorance has aggravated them. The prevalent and chief diseases of this country are indeed preventable, diseases such as Malaria, Bilharzia, and the dysentarys, but prevention of them implies endeavour on a scale which only the State can undertake as great funds and many hands and brains are necessary.
The increase of the ravages of the venereal diseases, though in a way also preventable, is a disturbing feature to the Christian Missionary as it forms a kind of index to the moral condition of the native population as a whole, and therefore to the progress real, living Christianity is actually making.
Medical Missions have never done more than fill a gap in the localities where they have been located. So far they have been worth while and have done good but viewing the situation as a whole from a medical point of view it is obvious that Medical Missions (in the accepted sense) must be a temporary expedient in a modern, progressive State such as S. Rhodesia is.
It is probable that in the near future there will be instituted in this country a State Medical Service on similar lines to that proposed for Britain. Such a service would cover in the widest sense the prevention and treatment of sickness not only for Europeans but for the whole population.
When this comes into effect the necessity for Medical Missions will have passed. Together with this we have to consider the probability that the entire cost of native education will be taken over by the State.
We shall then see the Missionary in a somewhat different setting, free from many cramping responsibilities, free to devote himself more particularly to what might be called the spiritual side of his work.
In making these general remarks I do not infer that at Ingwenya the emphasis has ever been other than upon the spiritual, and it will be a bad day when the native schools of Rhodesia have ceased to have their Missionary character. (For a long time to come even if State financed they are likely to remain under the spiritual control of Missions.)
Medical Missions are different and we can without qualification welcome a large-scale, efficient Medical Service for the country.
In the last year the medical work has been carried on as in previous years. The War has made itself felt even here in some slight inconveniences in connection with the supply of essential drugs. Malaria in the last season was unusually severe occasioning much suffering.
We had one Diphtheria scare but were able to immunise all our children and indeed most of those in the Reserve, about 2,000. The anti-toxin was supplied free by Government.
An analysis of the numbers treated at our Dyspensary show a remarkable constancy year by year.
This shows, I think, that any expansion (medical) that is of the work here involves the expansion over territory, the setting up of many small medical centres, which for a small Church is out of the question.
I wish to thank all those friends in Scotland and Canada who have so kindly sent contributions for the work. In the midst of so many and so great distractions we appreciate very much that we and our work out here are remembered.
The poor native people need all the help they can get although their needs pale before the needs of the world at large.