Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1950-11-04
It's Dawn In Liberia
From The General Christian Advocate)

Ii 1T be true that God helps those who help them
selves, Unen LlDerla oelng nfted today, only by
her own sons and daughters her friends from abroad,
but by God himself For Liberia is definitely on road
OF self help today.
Recently her progressive and democratic president
w, Y. s. Tubman addressing the Annual Conference of
The Methodist Church in LIBERIA said that Liberia must
no longer expect missionaries to carry any apprecabe
load OF educaulon ana CHARACTERIZATION coastal
people. Those people themselves carry their own
loads and enable the missionaries into the last
and turtherest villages of the hnterland
Not satisfied to make speeches and then rest Presi
dent 1ubman has found time, the midst of an unbe-
hevabe heavy schedule chief executive of the nation
10 devote time and interest the work of the Annual
conference Board OF Missions and Church Extension.
Symbolic OF his interests and his large financial support
modern type brick and concrete school stands TODAY
on the Methodist Mission Gbanga Joint enterprise of
the Liberia Annual Conference the Division of Fore
Ign Missions bearing the presidents name Bishop Willis
D. King SAID OF Mr. Tubman recently He always gives
unhurred and undivided attention to the problems of
the church."
AT the present time many Liberian students are
abroad IN France and America studying subjects of every
Sort preparing themselves to lead their own people out
INTO new day This nation, which itself an expert
menu OF nope is sponsoring many of these students with
generous scholarships to speed the day of their return
Within the country each year large grants are made by
the government prlvale and mission schools
and recently magnificent new building has been COM
pleted to house Liberia college, highest governmental
institutions of learning in the country.
The year 1850 marks the third year of Liberals
second century independent nation These first
years OF the new century are proving not only important
chonologlcaIy but socially they see many amazing
changes IN the lite OF the nation With the granting OF
SUFFRAGE to women only five years ago. todays visitor
10 Monrova capital city of the republic, would find
women occupying three of the highest and most i'm
portant positions IN the national government
Through its first ambitious plans seem destined not
10 De quickly realized the plans OF the Liberia Company
and Foundauon organized under the leadership of Ed
ward r. Stetnius, former Secretary of State of the
united States, demonstrated Liberals eagerness for
new economic life based upon planned equaltaran
oeVeopneht OF the natural resources material and hui
man, OF the country. New bridges roads, railroads. cold
storage plants theaters, and other modern businesses
are opening
lie seem at first glance designed affect and benefit
the educated coastal America Liberans more careful
examination OF the facts reveals that the tribal peoples
have not been forgotten Today three paramount chiefs
are members of the national legislature Most interest
Ing at least to Christian missions at work in Liberia
has been the unqualified support and approval given bv
the president and the to the Laubachnitiat
ed iteracy program With materials prepared and print
ed IN lO OF Liberals % dialects, the government has
invested nearly SIT 900 in revolving fund to keep this
campaign going. This is probably, on proportional
basis as high percentage of the national budget as any
other country has given to the work Of eracy in native
dialects
Recently as l left little native village where had
oeen preaching noticed at the place where two roads
or trails crossed leaf spread out with egg and white
and brown bread upon it. When | asked about it was
tod that perhaps had been sick and had been
told by medicineman that if he came down early in
the morning and left these things at the crossroads he
would also leave his sickness.
Today the shoe people of Liberia are at cross
roads hey are there with their yet heavy load of sick
the sickness of poverty of great aboriginal popu
atlon that still lives in mental and spiritual darkness;
the sickness of many persistent tropical diseases that
sap human vitality and delay social progress Yet there
signs of dawn, and in the words of Liberals national
anthem look to the day when "in iov and padness
with our hearts united, Well shout the freedom of
benighted"
1t is dawn in Africa! It is dawn in Liberia!