Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1910-08-11
WHAT AN ABILENE
MAN SAW IN AFRICA.

Editor Reflector; carlisle, Eng
land, July 26.-Allow me to greet
you from England, and on my wa
back home to my beloved U. s. A
But as an American, and havin
invaded foreign dominions, perhap
you may require Of me an accoun
of my doings while away. l recall
that when left Dickinson three
years ago, promised the Reflector
to write you an article now and then
telling of things that might interes
your readers from these far ava!
wilds which / have Inhabited, fol
nearly three years. Particularly
you said that you wished to be tolt
what Americans were doing there
Now as was the only American
and among many British, that in
wolves me in bearing witness Of
myself'--a thing which has many
objections from more points of view
than one, which reminds me thai
/ am no longer "one,"- but two, and
both Of them Americans. To ex-
plain, perhaps / had better add that
the way became two" was that
/ met a certain British subject in
Northern Nigeria whom I considered
too good to remain British subject
and after some necessary prellminars
les, she has agreed to my view Of
the case, and has not only changed
her citizenship but also her namel
She was formerly Miss G. M. Gill
liers of Cape Colony, is Of French
origin, and was sent out by the
Capetown Branch of the Mission to
institution of which l am the Honor.
airy Superintendent. Our work
act as Matron Of the Freed Slaves
brought us much together, and I
think 1 need not add any more for
you will say at is the old story"
and / suppose 1t is to you, though
not to me.
Now that l have, with much can
dor, told you the most important
Of the "Doings of the Americans" l
may add that while in Africa, ! have
built and started, as far as the Afri-
can end was concerned, "Lucy Me-
mortal" Fred Slaves Home. An in
dustrial training home for slave
which have been and are
md are now being liberated by the
government of Northern Nigeria, as
hey are found in the hands of the
lative slave trade.
We have now nearly 200 children
n training. The aim and purpose of
ur work, is to teach and train these
hildren up to become self-support-
ng evangelists and teachers to their |
wn tribes and people.
Believing as l do that Africa can |
ever be entirely, nor even success
ully evangelical by Europeans,
an conceive of no more practical
lethod of Missionary work than that
hitch we have engaged in. Espec-
lily do 1 think l am entitled to say
his, when / am able to call atten-
Ion to the fact that the government
I Northern Nigeria is paying us
money grant for the keeping of
ach child which more than covers
ne cost Of its maintenance in the
lone. The money grant thus CIV
a for mission work is perhaps some.
ling rather original from a British
overnment. And 1t may seem an
nomaly that 1t was secured by an
merican, for when I went out at the
,Quest of DR.. Kumm, the DR.. had
Dt the least idea that money could
Q secured from the government.
ut after l arrived in Nigeria, met
British official who gave a quiet
., that the children being liberated
ere a serious problem on the hands
the government, and that a grant
'uld be secured by taking the legal
litigation Of their guardian off their
lnds.
The above Is, very briefly, the ex-
anation OF the Lucy Memorial"
reed Slaves Home in Northern Nj
ria-an institution which l believe
destined to play a somewhat i'm &,
rtant part in the development and 4,
Of the western Sudan.
The work is now in the hands Of
/ acting superintendent, assisted .
a staff of six Europeans and four >,
ucated and trained Africans. We .
we had very much to encourage us n
our education and training Of the h
ildren, and II the past correctly q
gurs the future, l shall feel that
have never undertaken anything /,
at has reason to be of more salts u
ction to me than the work named. q
The weekly visits Of the Reflector I,