EE
THE MINNESOTA WORKER.
% MISSIONARY WORK. #
As the following letter kindly sent us by the
‘International Tract Society, reached us just too
late to be sent out with the last circular to libra-
rians, I give ‘it through the Worker, knowing
that all will be deeply interested in hearing again
from our missionaries in Africa.
A. EE
I take a moment this afternoon to write to you.
I find my time quite closely occupied, hence do not
- write as much as I otherwise would.
There is a crisis upon us here in Matabelaland,
and it is for us to exercise faith and go forward.
The war is practically over as regards fighting, but
the awful results are more apparent than at any
time before. Starvation is an actual fact in our
land, and while those living on the farm are not
starving, they are getting hungry. Those from a
distance come daily, and some have already died
within a few miles of us.
We ourselves are getting quite low in food stuffs,
as we have to feed something over thirty persons
daily. A few more weeks, and we will reach the
end, and how to meet the demands that will then be
made upon us, remains to be seen. But the promise
is, “I will supply all your needs’’. We believe, and
press forward.
By the time people can get here from America,
‘we hope the crisis will be over, and plenty reign.
But if not, we need the help we have asked for, and
ten times more. I can not emphasize our wants so
as to properly set them before the brethren in Ameri-
ca. So will not try, but trust to the Holy Spirit to
impress hearts, and send the relief needed.
At present we have ten children in our family,
supported by our own funds. Bro. Anderson has six,
and we have taken three at the expense of the mission,
.and the Doctor has three.
The people are so pressed with hunger, that it is
hard to keep things. We have lost about one dozen
goats already. We learned last night that a man
whose boy is herding for us took two of them. We
hardly know what to do about such things: to at-
tempt punishment seems quite hard to a hungry
man ; but not to do it means a letting down of dis-
cipline that is taken advantage of by all the natives.
We need more workers, This is seen in the
weary footsteps at the close of every day, as we
gather for our evening devotion ; also by the lack of
attention many things receive. The worker, as the
‘saying goes, tries to spread himself over everything
that needs to be done, and as a result, fails. Then
no time is found to devote to the study of the lan-
guage which we must, in a measure at least, master
if we become successful workers. My heart aches
as I see so many things neglected ; but what can we
do? Work hard,—that, we are willing to do from
morning until night; but we are grieved to be
obliged to neglect so much. Nevertheless we see
the Lord's hand. as it has led thus far, and rejoice
that, notwithstanding the lack, much has been done.
I fear many at home do not fully realize the situ-
- ation here. Some may be inclined to say, “limit
your operations, so that you can do justice to what
you do’. Well, we lack wisdom to enable us to do
‘this, and do anything at all toward meeting our ex-
penses, and providing food for our company. True,
we could sit down and study the language and thus
be enabled to reach more quickly a stage of efficiency
in the work; but under the present conditions, to do
this means to go hungry. We would be required to
spend much time in active, physical work, even if
means were plentiful.
Then we need buildings. Last night we had a
light rain, sufficient to wet the ground about three
inches, It was enough, however, to wash the mud
from our huts, and cause a mud puddle within.
Well, this would not be so unbearable, if only we
could preserve our goods, to replace which would
mean a great deal to us.
But I will say no more on this line, lest you ac-
cuse me of murmuring, which is not the case. We
are glad to be here, and only ask thdt our needs may
be considered as far as consistent.
We have been blessed in a financial way, so that
our heavy loss has been partly made up; but this
money may have to be largely used in procuring
food. For sometime, rice has been fifty cents a
pound, and flour the same. However, when I was
at Buluwayo last, it was slightly less, about thirty-
six cents per pound.
Our workers are of good courage in the work,
and we are all spending all the time we can in hoe-
ing, as that is the only way for us to get a crop. We
hope to get in a few acres in this way ; but I tell you
it is not like working with a plow.
I would say for the benefit of those who may be
sent to this field, that they must make up their
minds to get along with just as few things as the ac-
tual necessities of the case requires. A sufficient
amount of clothing to last one year should be
brought. It should be mostly rather light, firm
goods ; yet as the winter nights are quite cool, good
thick clothing will not come amiss. Only a few
dishes are needed, and they should be substantial
ones, A light No. 7 stove, and sone simple furniture
would about make up the list. Good woolen blankets
and rugs can be bought in Buluwayo. In the line
of clothing, I would include a supply of good strong
shoes.
It is my prayer that the coming General Confer-
ence may be a season of the outpouring of the Spirit
of God, and that measures may soon be taken to
more rapidly herald the gospel to the world, and not
least to darkened Africa.
By the time the company can get here, I think
the railroad will be within two hundred miles of Bul-
uwayo, this will greatly lessen the tediousness of the
journey. With love, I remain,
Your brother
G. B. Tripp.
ro
THE, MINNESOTA WORKER.
« THE SABBATH SCHOOL. x
Sabbath School Work at the Conference.
IN addition to the regular meetings of the Inter-
national Association, the report of which has been
printed in the Bulletin, several council meetings in
the interest of the Sabbath-school work have been
held. At these meetings such subjects as Sabbath-
school Conventions, Sabbath-school Lessons and
Donations to Missions have been discussed with
much interest.
The general opinion is that Convention or Insti-
tute work has been of much value to the schools. Dif-
ferent methods in conducting these have been fol-
lowed in different States. Some have tried the plan
of holding Institutes of a week's duration, topics be-
ing previously assigned to different persons for pre-
sentation.
Others have found it a good plan to hold con-
ventions in different parts of the State every three
months, lasting only one or two days, usually over
Sabbath and Sunday. The programs for these con-
ventions are sent out by the State Association, and
in many cases the work is all done by the lay mem-
bers. One feature of this program is usually a
series of five minute talks on the same topic, by sev-
eral different persons. It is thought to be a good
plan to have all take part in these exercises as officers
are constantly changing and so all should have the
benefit of the instruction and be thinking along these
lines.
In other States, Sabbath-school Institutes have
been held in connection with Church and Missionary
Institutes. :
On the question of Sabbath-school lessons, quite
a difference of opinion was noticable, some thinking
that our present plan of uniform lessons was best,
others being in favor of a return to the old custom of
having lessons from the Old Testament printed in
book form, but all were agreed as to the necessity of
a more earnest study of the Bible, and that the prac-
tice of the family spending some time each day in
studying the lesson together was commendable and
should be everywhere encouraged.
The matter of whether we should send all or a
part of our Sabbath-school donations to missions
called forth the most lively discussion of any of the
subjects. It was quite evident that all were great-
ly interested in missions, which is as it should be,
but the opinion of those who have given the most
thought to the subject seemed to be that the cause
would be best served if the schools were furnished
with needed supplies, from the regular donations,
and that the surplus be given to missions.
Much interest has been shown in all these meet-
ings and the workers would have been glad if there
could have been more time devoted to these interest-
ing subjects. A. L. L.
“God has no use fcr lazy men in his cause.”
=
RosEAU. We are studying the lessons by topics,
and think it a very good plan. Surely we can never
study these precious lessons too much, for they are
words of salvation to us.
CAMBRIDGE. Our Sabbath-school is prospering.
During the last quarter the attendance has increased
considerably. . The children  especially+are very
much interested in the school and a number of. out-
siders attend. We have the A. B. C.. text drill, and
most of the members say it is a good plan to learn a
verse every Sabbath. We take five copieggof the
Youth's Instructor, and they all like it very m®ch. I
have been trying to get the school to study the book
of John by topics.
¢ NOTES FROM THE FIELD. ©
Pipestone.
SINCE reporting to your columns last I have
closed my meetings in the country, and have held a
short series here in Pipestone. The result of the
work in the country was that three precious souls de-
cided to keep the Sabbath and believe kindred truths.
All three have met with bitter opposition from their
husbands. It is impossible for them to meet with us,
as their husbands will not allow it. One of the men
threatened to burn books and tracts that Bro. Glem-
bin and I had loaned to his wife, if we did not take
them away within a few days. She had subscribed
for the Review, but her husband sent a very disre-
spectful card to the publishers in which he told them
to discontinue it, and send it to Bro. Glembin. The
same man threatened to kick me off from his place if
I should step on it. ‘Truly, the dragon is wroth,
and has gone to make war with the remnant of God’s
people, who keep the commandments of God and
have the faith of Jesus.
The outcome of the meetings here, Pipestone, is
that one man and a lady have decided to lay all on
the altar. ‘There are a few others that are under
deep conviction, but we cannot decide for them, yet
God has given us the avenue of prayer, and we will
hold them in arms of faith before the throne of God.
‘The Lord has come very near to us in these seasons,
.and we have had the privilege, as never before, of
seeing the stately steppings of God in our midst.
Our heart’s language is, ‘‘Whom have I in heaven
but thee? and there is none upon the earth that I
desire besides thee’’.
Our hearts are filled with praise day by day as
we see the blessed Spirit of the Master moving the
hearts of those who have accepted the message here,
with a deep burden for souls. 1 give a quotation
from a remark left last night by a certain sister who
was a leading society woman, before she gave her
heart to the Lord this past summer : ‘“Itis sostrange,
I do not understand it, but I am in prison if I cannot
get out and tell some one of what Jesus has done for
my soul. Oh! if I had more time.” We are trying
to do systematic work for the people; and the seed is