The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1923-04-25
Society Has
Fine Meeting
PRHSBYTERIAN- MISSIONARY
SOCIETY LEARNS OF
AFRICAN PEOPLE.

The Presbyterian Missionary So
ciety met at the church Wednesday
afternoon with a fine attefdance.
Mrs. Ball, the president opened the
meeting and Mrs. Ashford led the de-
votionals. Mrs. Gilfillan, assisted by
Mines. Wright and Campbell, gave
the lesson study which dealt with that
portion Of West Africa known as the
Kameron District.
Mrs. Gilfllan gave splendid de-
scrirtion of the country and pointed
out some of the many difficulties this
field presents for the missionaries.
Not only is the climate with all the
disadvantages inherent to tropical
region to be endured and the fear of
wild animals to be overcome, bur,
worse than all else, the missionaries
and natives alike must be constantly
on the alert to ward off the attacks of
the innumerable insect pests of all
kinds which meet them on every hand
and which are not only source of
annoyance but of extreme danger to
life as well. Among these breads are
the small ticks, which are so much
feared by the natives that, when dis
covered in their huts, they burn their
homes rather than run the risk of
fighting them. Then there are the
mosquitoes whose number is legion
and from which there is no protection
the flies whose bite causes sleeping
sickness, the diver ant, SO called be-
cause when attacked the only relief
that the natives find is to plunge into
stream of water in order to rid
themselves of them.
Mrs. Wright told of the people OF
this District, their unfriendliness
difficulty of approach and of the years
of toll on the part of the missionaries
before any results were seen, then as
the rays of light began to dawn
showed how wonderfully the light of
the gospel frightened the lives OF
this people as the great work of con-
version took place. In the midst OF
this great work came the late wal
when the missionaries from Europe
were recalled leaving the burden up
on the u. S. Missionaries.
Mrs. Campbell gave an account OF
the work Of our own missionaries
Mr.. and Mrs. Neal who are at the pre-
sent time in this field. With the
grant of five hundred dollars given
them last year they have been able
to increase the outlieing stations un-
til they now number twenty-one
They now have twenty three Bible
readers and evangelists, eleven hun
dred pupils in the schools and over
twenty-five hundred in their services.
In another field there are six thou
sand boys and girls in the schools
Mrs. Campbell closed her talk by tell
ing about DR.. Smith another mis-
sionary who gave an account of zone
Days Work" which was a sample of
what our missionaries have to 90
thru with and it made one marvel at
the wonderful work that is being done
and that can only be done thru Divine
help and guidance.
Mrs. Ball, the new president, gave
a talk on the plans of work for the
new year and in her enthusiastic way,
pointed out many things that we can
do, individually, and as a society in
carrying on our part of the work for
missions.
Mrs. Berdan conducted her work as
secretary with business like ability
and Mrs. E. A. Pease, the treasurer
stressed the need of keeping up the
finances by paying all dues promptly
in quarterly installments, in this way
getting the money where it is needed
in the shortest possible time.
A delightful social hour was enjoy
ed at the close of the meeting and
light refreshments were served by
Mines. Pease, Tenney, Johnson, Ira
Reynolds, Mckenzie and Mclean