The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1885-03-25

Sharp missionary in Weste : frica, sends to
this country the following @ which was
written by one of her scholarly request of a
Chief who wishes more missionaries sent to
Africa:
1--WE people of Niffoo, big Kroo town on
the coast meet and make law. We say we all
fool, we sit down in the dark Night be all
around US. Our pickanlnies grow up fool, same
as we. And we want some one to come and
show us the light so we be fool no longer
came to you, nanny. You say you cannot
come to we town. We ask you please sir,
nanny, make one book r. c. write a letter. to
Big America and ask some one please come"
What shall tell them you will do for them if
persons come {? 1--WE be no rich, but them
thing we have we give. We make one house
for him, we let our chi dren wait on him. We
make one house for school and God Palaver
We bring rice, casada, and fresh fish, but we
no see plenty of money here. Suppose they
feel sorrow for we and come We do him good
plenty. We old people no larn book sabee now,
but we children must larn book sabee Good
Palaver, all dem ting American know. We no
more willing to be all fool We done talk that
Palaver now. Please sir, nanny, make that
book fine so American people be sorrow for we."
NAPPA.
" Make book" means write book or a letter,
written agreement or any message in writing
God Palaver" means teaching them from the
Bible or preaching. Book sabee IL e. book
knowledge. If question is asked and they
wish to say they do not know they say, " me no
sabee." Any prolonged talk is Palaver" A
case In law Is a "Palaver," and when it is decid
ed, " Palaver done set" If the accus ed is proven
guilty, Palaver done catch him." The pro-
noun him" s used tor her, him, she, and it.
These and like expressions are used by those
who consider themselves well up" in English,
able to "pass word, :" that is to interpret What
they worship is Juju." Yet all the coast
tribes have word to denote the big God" or
Supreme being. Among the Kroos it is ''Nyswa."
In Basa, Grippe" In Efik "Abasi."
"A DAY AT AN INDIAN MELA.-We
reached the MeLd (ten miles from Gonda) in
bullock cart, on the evening of November 2, and
putup IN large mango grove near the sacred
tank. The tonntomlng and singing of the wo-
men, as we'll as the ringing of the bells in a
temple near, and the deafening sounds emitted
from shell horns, made it such a Babel of tune
less, Earring concerts and unmuscal caterwaul-
lngs, that sleep was impossible, and rest ouly to
be had IN another grove a mile away. Next
morning we began preaching at six o'clock
About thousand persons of all castles gathered
around. -Four men came out and said they be
leved the word preached, and accepted Christ
as the Saviour but we could not baptize them,
as we had no water with us and the people
would not let rs get at the little filthy waler
there was IN the tank, and the orly we'll Ia the
place was at too grsa distance TO make uss of
that. These iour earnest inguirera, however,
promised to come into Gonda for further instruc-
ton and baptism. We preached again at 10
o'clock about eight hundred persons were pre-
sent. Six hearers were visibly impressed and
convicted. Preached once more at 4 P M
There must have been over two thousand atten-
tive hearers present at this time. Sixteen per
sons came forward on invitation declaring that
this was the true way of salvation. Five of
these persons confessed, when we talked and
prayed with them, that their hearts were trem-
bling with fear, and that they never heard such
words of God before. Another man cried out,
with tears in his eyes, " Make me disciple of
j esus Christ" After this service he followed us
to the mango grove, and though his friends did
their best to dlssuade him, he still cried, Make
me servant of Jesus Christ" We further
prayed with him and instructed him. and then
baptized him on his confession of faith in Jesus
Christ. He promised to bring his mily into
Gonda in few days to have them also made
disciples of this great Saviour. Over three
thousand persons heard the Word of God that
day, with respect and attention. Ffty-f five
parts of the New Testament and many tracts
were sold. Fifty persons Of different castles pro-
iessed themselves serious seekers after truth
Two were baptized. At one of the services
proud-looklng Puldt came up and told us that
since we had been coming here, for four years
past, the water in the sacred tank had been
gradually drying up, and soon there would not
be enough lett for even one man to perform the
sacred bathing We answered him that not only
the water Of this so-called virtuous tank would
be dried up, but the whole of the idolatrous
Meta itself would cease and vanish before the
power OF the preached Word of the Living God
and that purer place of true spiritual worship
would be set up In It's stead. On hearing this
most In the crowd cried ont SIT, Sat -
True, true. May it be so soon, in the name
of the Lord !" We are indebted for the SUBJ
stance of the above interesting account to a let
ter written by Rev. s. Knowles, in The Indian
Witness
Rev. Dr. Wilson, speaking at mis-
sionary meeting in the Edinburgh Free Presby-
terry Hall, said they had not got lady ministers
or lady elders yet, and if they continued to 90
on Scrptural principle, he did not think that
they should ever have lady ministers or elders.
But he thought there was ScupturIl authority
for deaconesses, and if they bad a staff of doa-
conesses, ne would have no objection to see them
serv ng ol their General Assembly g committee"
The Confederate Relief Bazaar Assooia-
tion Of Maryland have issued the following
circular
Dear SIR The want and dcstitulion among
Ex-Confederate Soldiers and Sailors living i'm
Maryland having become very great the SoCie-
ty Of the Army aud Navy of tho Confederate
States in the State Of Maryland have determined
to hold a Fair Bazaar to raise funds to assist such
persons. They confidently appeal to you 20
assist them in this very laudable enterprise and
assure You that anything you may donate will
be iudiciously applied
The Fair or Bazar will be held in the Fifth