The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1918-07-04
THE PEOPLES FORUM.

Dear Young Friends.
A goodly number of the boys and
girls who read this letter are interest
ed in work among children in other
lands. The way those in far off lands
are able to hear about Jesus and the
way to be saved is. for those in Chris
tian lands, to save their money and send
workers to preach to them. In nearly
every country on the globe our workers
are telling them the way to salvation
and it is interesting to know something
of their success. Have you ever heard
of.The Dark Continent? l wonder who
can tell what country is meant and find
it on the map? think hear some of
you saying, why, that is Africa. |
know where it is on the map. It's a
mighty big country Iisn't it? Nearly
one fourth of all the land in the world
is in Africa. If you travel around the
coast of Africa, you will travel as far
as it is around the world and that is 25,-
900 miles. One out of every eight of
the people who live in the world is in
Africa.
There are 943 languages and dialects
spoken in that country, but only few
of them have been reduced to writing.
1t has 10000 miles of rivers and lakes,
navigation and water power ninety
times as great as our mighty Niagara.
But it isn't all and it is as large as all
of South America. To put it in another
form its area is as large as the United
States, Europe, India, China the British
Isles and the Argentine Republic.
That's some country isn't 1t? Nearly
all of Africa is owned in Europe. Only
one twenty-ninth Of it is owned by ma
tions, that is AbYssinia and Liberia, or
1893. 900 square miles. out of total II, :
622, 619 square miles. Germany had a
larger track of Africa than she owned
in Europe, at the beginning of the war,
but she has lost it all. Liberia is a
black mans republic. You know a bit
of the work that is being done by some
of our good missionaries. Many years
ago young man with his wife, whom
| know quite we'll, went to that field.
talked with him year ago, when he
was here on his vacation. He had to
send his wife and two boys to this
country for the lads must be educated.
The war kept him here longer than he
intended but finally he got back to his
field of labor, of which l shall tell you
presently.
Like many other boys, when war
broke out they enlisted, and are now
with Uncle Sans boys, at the 'front.'
When the missionary went back after
his visit home, the people were so glad
they cried out 'akwa Zambe," which
meant thanks be to Cod" "Zambes
ambassador has returned to US. We
see him again" Zambe is their name
for God. Els, the head man is there to
greet him, one has hobbled over with
the help of stick. Boys and girls, men
and women, a great crowd are about
his house, all eager to see him. All
look upon him as their friend and want
to tell him what has happened since he
went away. Look! here comes a wo-
man running through the streets of the
village. She must have important
news. 'Oh. white man." she cries, 81
am a woman of the Zambe tribe, come
save myIchild my husband has sold her to
the chief for his wife. HE has thirty
already and she is only 10 years old. |
want her to go to school, l don't want
her to be married to the old and wicked
chief. want her to marry one of the
tribe of Zambe." That is she wanted
her child to be Christian and marry a
Christian. The chief is to come to-
morrow to take her away. The next
morning he called the girls father to
the palaver house, that is where they
meet to talk over all things that con-
Germ them and settle all disputes. They
meet together and Minisi. that is the
name of the missionary, tells the father
that he should not do so. as he knows
better from the teachings he has heard.