Putnam patriot., 1921-12-30
On Bicycle to Interior


There are large native churches at
both Adams and Inanda with many
preaching places connected with
them. These churches have native
pastors One Sunday. in company with
Mr.. Leroy. visited Groutville, one Of
the oldest stations of the Board
There, with the aid Of an Interpreter.
preached my first sermon to native
African audience, congregation
numbering over four hundred.
Mr. Abraham invited me TO 20 with
him to the opening Of new school
building ut Table Mountain. II was
a very interesting trip. We travelled
by motorcycle. horseback and on foot
to this Native Reserve. Il has been
several years since a missionary has
lived there, but there is church and
school and nucleus Of Christian
community 4 fine school building
had been erected and it Was to be
opened. The children were dressed in
their best clothes. If not 80 good they
were clean. The occasion was notable
in that 50 many government officials
were present, the Superintendent of
Native Education for Natal, the
Secretary Of Native Affairs for Natal,
the head Of the Native Police for
Natal, and the Assistant Secretary of
Native Affairs for the Union of South
Africa. These men spoke TO the people
f FatlaF4gr fkuN he tssf
wished to help them and that they
must help themselves b. taking advan-
tage of the educational advantages
furnished them. They spoke in high
est praise of the work Of cur Ameri-
can Board and the type of men who
represent il a. its missionaries. / will
let you imagine the marked contrast
between Christian and heather. The
aged chief with his head men and
women and children IN their native
or lack of costume, and over against
them the neatly dressed Christians. II
was very interesting to watch the hea-
then people. rs they, along with the
rest, crowded into the school building
and looked with wondering eyes.
What an object lesson for the cause Of
Foreign Missions in its educational
and evaneelistic phases Of work We
may we'll be proud of the service
which our missionaries have given to
South Africa since 1888.
There are two ways of going from
Durham to Rhodesia. One is by train
via johannesburg. Bulawayo and
Salisbury to Umtali, the other is by
boat to Beira, Portuguese East Africa,
then by train 10 Umtali, Rhodesia
We went by the latter route. On May
2nd we left Durham on the S. S.
Karoa The ship stopped for day
at Louronco Marques. and we went
ashore The Swiss have a Mission
Station here, and We called on the
missionaries, having tea with Mr. Loxi
the Missionary in charge. May 9Th
we landed at Beira. This is an unpre-
possessing place, built on low ground.
and dominated by the Portuguese who
think Of revenue not Of improvements
Here is a city thronging with natives
and not one bit Of Missionary work
being done for them We have had
work here, but the post is now desert
ed May we not work and pray that
it will soon be possible TO open work
in this strategic point for the Christ
ianizine Of East Africa. The Mozam-
bique Company which controls this
portion Of Portuguese East Africa has
been very stubborn in its opposition
Of religious or educational work for
the natives and using practices which
they know the Missionaries would not
approve