The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-12-10
A STURDY OLD BISHOP
WORE THAT REV. WILLIAM TAYLOR
is NOW DOING IN AFRICA.
Aided by DIR. Jennie Taylor, Dentist,
He Is Teaching the Heather the
Industries of Civilized Life.

COChAis 1cCclscQ tWO ( AitckCSllliS tcN-
tiers from Bishop William Taylor. the grand
old African missionary. who is now making
his fifth tour among the Methodist mission
stations In the dark continent. Bishop Tay-
Tor is now over seventy years OF age, yet he
is enduring the hardships Of African life
and travel with the same vigor that char
acterized his younger days. His present
trip is rendered particularly notable be-
cause he is accompanied by his niece, Miss,
or. more properly, DIR. Jennie II. Taylor.
who has the honor Of being the first person
to enter Africa in the capacity OF a dental
missionary.
The Bishop and his niece left New York
about a year and a half ago for a three
years journey. They will not return until
the spring of 1896, and the Methodist board
and other organizations VIII undoubtedly
prepare a royal welcome for the veteran
Bishop and the fearless young lady who
has willingly sacrificed home and its COM
forts for the wilds of Africa. For DR.. Jen-
ME. as she is called, will have visited, be-
fore she returns, all Of the Methodist mis-
sions. some of which are situated hundreds
of miles inland, and the only access to
many is by walking or riding on half-tamed
African bulls.
In this latter respect DR.. Jennie recently
had an experience which for most young
women would have destroyed forever what
ever charm there may be in travelling
through the African forests. 1t was during
a journey Of seventy-ive miles to attend a
missionary. conference in Angela, and on
which, as Bishop Taylor says In his letter,
had but lately been purchased from
heathendom. "and had never seen a white
proprieties of civilized life. The Doctor
was advised not to mount him., but she did,
and, descending a hill. her saddle turned.
the bull sprang forward in fright, which
seemed to turn to anger. She, of course,
was thrown to the ground, and before she
could rise the beast made a charge with his
powerful horns, but instead of driving one
of them through her body, his pate struck
her body, with a horn on each side. of her.
and she seized him by the nose and nostril
rope and brought him to time. Uncle
Sam distant about twenty feet, rushed to
the rescue, and Jennie escaped unhurt. Sam
from mounting that bull again. She did not
wish to ride; preferred to walk with her
uncle, but she could not allow an African
bull to take a mean advantage of her; so
behavior"
A GOSPEL TRAIN.
The Uncle Sam mentioned is an Amer
lean, who, before going to Africa, was for
twelve years a railroad conductor in YER
mont. He now has charge of a gospel train
running between some Of the stations In
the wilderness. His name is Samuel Mead,
but he is known only as Uncle Sam by all
the missionaries, and the negroes as well.
An interesting anecdote, told by the Bishop
In his last letter, shows the kind of man
uncle Sam is: ST heard him defend him.
self against a fierce wordy attack Of two
hundred miles Of where they live, meet a
man WHIT would dare face them In any at
tercation. Sam was perfectly master Of the
situation. He just chewed up their angry
words and spat them on their feet. They
could but laugh at their own utter defeat,
and, extending their hands, said: Good
bye, Mr.. Mead, goodbye Sam could ave
had a fight without a minutes notice. and
could have thrashed the pair of them. and.
had not his naturally fierce temper been
conquered by the perfect love of God. he
There were ten in all on this seventy
hve-mile jaunt. besides a number of native
carriers to transport the baggage, bedding,
and other accoutrements. Most of them,
including the Bishop, slept at night in the
guarded by ap their up fa AZ .hlfk n Saarxets One one
carrier suficed for the Bishops luggage,
but ten were needed for DR.. Jennie's dental
Completed there we're four earriers sS %ere
SO two heavy dentistry trunks had to be
left behind. The carriers were members
southeast of the Congo river. There was
one tent among the party, and three bulls,
one for the Bishop, IL he chose to ride, but
he preferred to walk. evidently not wishing
TO meet with such an encounter as befei
DR.. Jennie. The walking, as Bishop Taylor
expressed It,, was interspersed with the
refreshing pleasure of wading the rivers"
On the last day, when fourteen miles
lay between them and the seat of the con-
ference, DR.. Jennie and one or two others
stopped to wait for one OF the carriers
who had been delayed. A short distance
ahead OF them was a wild and Swiftly-how-
ing river which had to be crossed. When
n 4 mat nf ~ f0~ $E4e.
simple luncheon the Bishop was anxious
to learn how his niece had accomplished
the feat and asked her:
well, DR.. Jennie, how did you get across
"oh, We got over all right; how did you
get over?"
"T crossed above the ford on a fallen tree.
but it is difficult to keep your feet amid
the tangled limbs OF the fallen tree, and
the water there is deep, and yet so rapid
that a person falling in 1t would probably
be drowned"
. well, I took no such risks. I dotted
my shoes and stockings and waded the river
p The eeventy-fve-mile journey to the con-
ference required seven days, but they all
arrived safely, and were met In Angola by
a number of other missionaries who had
come from different localities. The confer
ence was held at the Ben Barrett Station,
SO named IN honor OF BENJAMIN Barrett, Of
sum of money for the erection of suitable
mission buildings and workshops where the
native cnfiQFen may De lduSNt useful lTdueS.
The event, however. despite the encourage
Ing reports which were made regarding the
progress of the work in the districts. was
| saddened by the death of one OF the mis-
| sionaries, Miss Lavina Ratcliff, who for
!! several years had been an active missionary
worker. She had come a long distance.
travelling partly by rail and partly in one of
the African topoigas. carried by two ne
| groes. She was not well when she started,
| but it was thought the journey would bene-
| lit her; but she arrived in a weak condition
and died during the conference. She was
buried in a coffin of African mahogany
made by the missionaries. and laid at rest
on the border of the understanding woods
[ Just beyond the mission buildings.
DIR. JENNIES WORK.
It was at this conference that DR.. len
| ME found opportunity to do a great deal Of
dental work. In fact, she went out as a
missionary among missionaries, and her
| presence among them has been hailed with
| joy. as many of the latter have not visited
their homes in this country since they left
for Africa ten years ago and more. The
| need of a dentist among them has long
been felt, and Bishop Taylor has for two
or three years been trying to find a. dentist
| who would 60 out as a missionary. DIR.
Jennie Taylor had been studying previously
| I'm Philadelphia to At herself as q medical
| missionary, but when she learned that q
| dentist was needed at this time more than
| anything else, she took a course of dem
| tistry in this city and gladly accompanied
| the Bishop on his three years tour. She