The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-05-21
HIS WORK in AFRICA
DIR. Jennie TayIor's Novel Experi-
ences-A Letter Describing Her
Journeys on the Dark Continent.

odist Episcopal Bishop TO Africa. has just
returned to his home after an absence in
the Dark Continent of nearly two years
IL ever there was a grand missionary,
Bishop Taylor is surely worthy OF that dis
tinction. Age has thus far put no barrier
upon his activity or enthusiasm for the con-
version of the dusky natives of Africa and
although he is now seventy-four years of
age, instead of devoting his remaining years
10 quiet and rest, he is looking forward to
returning to Africa next December
Bishop Taylor arrived in this city last
week on the steamship Teu.onic.
A reporter for the New York Times saw
Bishop Taylor yesterday at the Office of his
son, the Rev. Ross Taylor, in the Methodist
Episcopal Building. at 80 Fifth avenue
Yes said the Bishop, when asked about
his trip from Africa. II have had pretty
long tour. 1 have encountered some trying
experiences, but do not think / feel any
the worse for it. This is the fifth trip L
have taken since l was made Bishop for
Africa in 1884, and every journey has made
me more deeply interested in Africa and
more hopeful for it's future. 1t is an enor-
nous territory. and the missionary field is
broad and difficult to cover; but the prog
ress in the last ten years has been re-
markable. Speaking for the Methodist mis-
sions, / can say that the Lord has richly
blessed them
During the two years have been away
from America i have visited all the Meth
thirty in all-from Liberia, along the coast
south 10 Angola and the Congo district.
n nefe Is no "a tSi system OF trsye
expresses. cables and trolley roads i trav-
eled about three thousand miles, all told
along the coast, mostly by means of small
steamers.
intervals. also went inland through the
A ensnis stations. about four hundred miles,
L did not have a days sickness during my
entire stay in Africa.
SUCCESSFUL MISSIONS.
Great Improvement has been made in
nearly all of the mission stations since my
last journey to Africa, four years ago. We
had during my second visit two excellent
missionary conferences in Liberia the last
one being held just before L left, at Cape
Palmas on the coast. Much of the work of
the last few years has been in mastering
the language, in erecting proper buildings
and in work along other necessary indus
trial lines. Now that the missions have
become more thoroughly settled and the
missionaries familiar with the native dia-
lects. more attention is being given to
evangelical work, and in this respect the
missions have been very successful. When
first visited Angola, eleven years ago. we
all. and the Kimbunda, the language of
the native people, had not been reduced to
manuscript, much less to print. We had
no interpreter. we had to sit down and
fish the words from beneath the teeth of
the natives, and then put them together as
best we could. In less than five years we
had printed grammar, and the gospel by
John in the Kimbunda. and the whole
work in that province was on a self-sup-
porting basis. We now have there eight
mission stations, extending inland nearly
four hundred miles. and all are in charge
OF capable conservative workers
During the coming summer Bishop Tay-
Tor will attend a number of conferences
and conventions. Among those he has
been particularly requested 10 attend are
the Pan-American Congress, July Is to %,
at Toronto, Canada, and the general mis-
sonary meeting of the Methodist denom-
ination next fall in Denver, Col.
Bishop Taylor will sail for Africa next
December. and expects to return home in
back at that time he will be accompanied
by his niece, DIR. Jennie Taylor, who went
out to Africa with him two years ago:
That was her first African journey, and
her missionary career has been filled with
several novel and unique experiences. In
fact Dr. Jennie Taylor has the honor of
being the first dental missionary 10 go out
to Africa. The missionaries there had for
years been in need of a dentist and DR..
Jennie's visit was cause OF great COM
fort and relief to many of the mission
aries who have been denied the necessities
of civilization.
Dr. Jennie TAYLOR fitted herself as a
medical missionary, and was the first wom-
an to be appointed on a hospital staff in
Philadelphia. When she learned how badly
dentist was needed in Africa she took
special course of dentistry in this city, and
sailed with the Bishop two years ago. She
has visited all the missions with the
Bishop withstood all the difficulties of
travel in that country with the hardihood
of veteran African explorer, and has
been in perfect health from the time she
set foot upon the Liberian coast.
Bishop Taylor tells the following little
incident of DIR: Jennie. showing how even
peaceful African journey is often
livened with unexpected happenings:
ION a portion of the journey through
Angola DR.. Jennie rode a bull bought but
few weeks before from heathendom. and
he had never seen a white woman before
and had not learned the proprieties of
civilized life. The Doctor. was advised not
TO mount him, but she did, and. descending
hill, the saddle turned, and 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 his pate struck her. body. with
him by the nose and nostril rope and
brought him to time. Uncle Sam dis
cue. and Jennie escaped unhurt. Sam
thought that such a caution would deter
her from mounting the bull again. She did
not wish to ride; preferred TO walk with
her uncle. but she could not allow an
African bull to take mean advantage of
her: SO she mounted him and taught him
better behavior"
AFRICAN EXPERIENCES.
The following letter. recently received by
the Rev. Rose Taylor from DIR. Jennie
gives some very interesting experiences of
life in Africa:
IT'S the night before Christmas All
evening we sat without fire, and the
large double doors wide OPEN IL is now
our summer time, rainy season. That
term has not the meaning for me il once
had | imagined there was an almost
constant drizzle at this season, but in
from fifteen minutes to half an hour. or at
most an hour or two, and then it clears I'D
for day. | have never yet suffered from
the heat as | have in Pennsylvania We get
such invisoratng rest at night because il
is always so cool. L have never vet slept
without blankets
while | at N'Tombe / saw native
funeral. liz not altogether i'm accord
ance with what funeral should be. The
procession went by a dead run Even
the pallbearers Joined in the mad race
There another at Aielange not long ago
\ chief was buried. Before dying he gave
orders that three live children should be
buried with him. after having their arms
and legs broken. n line or mark around
the grave to indicate that the first
children 10 step over it should be taken
The grave diggers child was the first TO
step over the line, and he only saved il
by paying a large ransom. and some other
bodyS children were taken.
Our walk to Melange was enivened by
stories OF the carriers As pass
ing through a forest the guide sad: This
is where the tribe from across the river