The new era., 1909-09-02


windows. the doors and nails. When
the grass bungalow was finished. a
church, also used as a schoolroom,
was built In the same way, and the
missionaries were settled until the
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 1000
cuttings of the basket willow, as 1t is
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 of
the king to open mission In his land.
The site chosen was on the side OF
Mount Makomwe, near the kings
kraal, 40 miles from the nearest white
settlement and midway between the
Sabi and Odzi rivers. Here was a
heather people, almost strangers 20
the visits of the white man. The peo-
pie were nearly naked. and very dirty.
They oiled their bodies more than
they 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 1t was nice to
have a 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 we're
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
| " tlmc OlueIS JOlAtu Will IueLl. u0
sick and lame gather in the veranda
of the mission house for treatment.
The missionary has from five to fif-
teen calls a day. and is able to help
many suffering ones.
This work is still conducted by the
missionary who began 1t. The land
has been cleared and planted with
fruit trees. which are now bearing
The first building (20x36. of poles and
mud, with a veranda all round IT.
| was built for dwelling for the mis-
sionary. but for over a year 1t 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-
mirable dispensary, with four rooms.
Other buildings include a boys dorm
|, itory, four huts for Christian families.
a trading hut. 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 probationers. Sab
bath school, class meetings, midweek
prayer meeting. two native teachers.
many doing Christian 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. They are
sending their children to school, They
are making large gardens. They are
writing letters. They read the Bible
in their own language. They come to
church with clean bodies and clothes.
Some are making their own clothes.
Their times of rejoicing are without
beer. They love to sing and pray and
learn. They are buying soap and
nails and tools. sugar and cloth, books
and states. The hills and valleys re-
sound with the hymns of the church,
as the shepherds return at evening
with the cattle and sheep. Twelve
sons and daughters of the king are in
school. some of them will be teachers.
Mount Makomwe is truly lighthouse
in dark land.