The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1909-08-25

gan to make camp. Soon the tent wa.
up. the canvas stretched over the
goods, and the kitchen establishes
under a tree. Some days later grass
shack was built. which was used fo
weeks as a dining-room and draw
ing-room, also a sleeping place for one
of the party. Later a site for the
temporary house was chosen. Poles
were brought from the bush and grass
was cut to build large bungalow, 6,
feet long. with wide veranda. The
floors are of clay. beaten hard in the
native way. The only imported arti-
cles used in the building are the small
windows, the doors and nails. When
the grass bungalow was finished,
church, also used as schoolroom,
missionaries were settled until tn
friends at home help us to build per
manently.
1t is our purpose to cultivate broom
corn, wheat. oats. rice and other ce-
reals. Already we have all the ma
chinery for making brooms; the
broom corn grows as well as in the
states. We have put in nearly 200,
cuttings of the basket willow, as 1t IL
our purpose to develop the industry
of basket making, at which the native
is an adept.
Some time ago we visited Maranki's
reserve and obtained the consent o.
the king to open a mission In his land
The site chosen was on the side O
Mount Makomwe. near the kings
kraal, 40 miles from the nearest white
settlement and midway between the
Sabi and Odzi rivers Here was
heather people, almost strangers to
the visits of the white man. The PEG
pie were nearly naked, and very dirty
They oiled their bodies more than
hey washed them. They drank beer.
they sang meaningless heather songs
and played only as drunken heather
can play. Their huts were so low
that they were Obliged to crawl into
them on hands and knees. They did
not want our learning or religion
They were afraid OF the white man
who had come to live among them.
At first all were curious to see the
missionary and his goods, but they
soon became more interested. Then
they began to think it was nice to
have missionary near them. for he
healed their sores: he gave them med
icine and he let them taste of his
strange foods. which they said were
sweet. Their amusement was great
when told that 1t was possible to
write words on paper which another
could read, or. as they said. make pa
per talk" A day school was begun
with three Christian boys. who came
with the missionary. and from time
to time others joined with them. The
sick and lame gather In the veranda
of the mission house for treatment
The missionary has from FIVE to ff.
teen calls day. and is able to help
many suffering ones.
This work is still conducted by the
missionary who began it The land
has been cleared and planted with
fruit trees. which are now bearing
The first building C20x36. of poles anG
mud. with veranda all round it,
was built for a dwelling for the mis-.
sionary, but for over year It had
to be used for church. school and dis
pensary as well. Then money was
sent for church. This also is of
poles and mud and has been in con
stant Use for church and school since
1t was completed. Later the medical
missionary visited the mission and
built. with the aid of the boys, an ad-
mirabIe dispensary. with four rooms
Other buildings include boys dorm
itory. four huts for Christian families.
a trading hut. a guest hut and build
ings for sheep and goats. In that
heather land there is now a day
school. with an enrolment of nearly
one hundred. an average Sabbath con-
gregation of nearly one hundred. Is
full members. 40 prol ationers. a Sab
bath school, class meetings, midweek
prayer meeting. two native teachers.
many doing Chrisiian work in the ma
tive villages. preaching on Sunday to
the heather and preparing themselves
for usefulness. The change wrought
is almost incredible. Many now wear
clothes. Christian men have taken
Christian women for wives.