The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1931, Page 119

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THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

119

I have come to take a teacher.” This was the
greeting I received, as I was leaving our home one
noon, from a husky heathen, who was accompanied
by a number of his wives, children, and retainers.
There followed the usual discussion, pleading, and
final going back home of the large company with
heavy hearts, all because the white man had not
been able to “make” teachers as fast as the demand.

Tfad Real Man Esono been like many others,
this story would not have been written. A week or
ten days after his visit to me there appeared four
youths with the startling announcement on the part
of their spokesman that “he,” pointing to one of
the lads, “is to carry the box of school supplies, he
over there will carry the blackboard. The other one
is to carry whatever things the teacher has, and
myself, I am to show the teacher the path to our
town.”

“Yes, but
teacher ?”

“Hé Eké! and you do not know that we are
Yelinda, of Real Man’s Esono’s? ‘The teacher is
here.”

“Where is he? I want to see him.”

“Look, white man, the boys are bizuke buzuk
[uncountable for multitude] in the schoolhouse.
We want only one.”

“Which one?”

“We'll show you.” And they did. That he was
not of the first class, that he did not know very
much — no matter! He was the one. So I called
him out, and we talked the matter over. To the
Yelinda he stood for a knowledge of the things of
the white man, of the white man’s God. And he
consented to go. —

Here we again take up the story: There was
singing on the path to Real Man Esono’s village
that night. And there was still more singing when
the new teacher was in triumph conducted to his
future workshop, the school, which was standing
ready for him.

And now again God proved that He can be
mighty in the weak. Though the new teacher was
not one. the best equipped mentally, God laid His

“blessing upon his faithful labor and most wonder-
fully prospered the work of his hands. Real Man
Esono’s village long ago became a Christian village,
and from it as a center Christian influence is mak-
ing itself more and more felt among the Yelinda.

Is not this African mission-story a beautiful
proof of the truth of the Lord’s words, Matt. 11, 12:
“The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and
the violent take it by force”? F. J. L.

who are you, and where is the

Items of Missionary Interest.
(By the Eprror.) ;

Arlington, Nebr. — Pastor G. W. Wolter, who is
a staunch friend of our work among the colored
people, writes: “Rosa Young is at present among
us here in Nebraska, lecturing to our ladies’ aids
and to the women of our congregations in general on
the light which our Church brought into the Dark
Belt of Alabama. We invite the women to certain
centers, receive free-will offerings to defray ex-
penses, and what is left goes to Colored Missions.
I think Rosa Young would like to keep up that
work if she is physically able, and it surely would
awaken the interest of our people for Colored Mis-

Miss Rosa J. Young.

sions.” We rejoice to bring this item for two”
reasons; in the first place, to show the interest

which our sisters in Nebraska are evincing in our _
blessed work among the freedmen of the South;

and secondly, to induce others to invite Miss Young

to lecture to them on our work in Alabama. Think

it over.

Mansura, La. — Pastor C. P. Thompson, our
faithful missionary at this place, writes that the
need among sonie of his people is very great. Some
persons whom he had prepared for confirmation
could not be publicly received because they lacked
the necessary clothes. He adds: “I used to address
myself to Director Drewes when such situations

arose in the past, but since he is gone, I do not

know to whom I should write. Maybe you could
aid me by suggesting such persons or societies as