Letters and Articles 33–46

I can just write back your own words, & say, “If *you* had all the letters & messages I have written to you during sleepless nights, & the evening hour when we lie - *I* *lie* - & the children sit round & talk & the babies sit on my bed & enjoy themselves,” – you wd. have a pile. But alas!! “The flesh is weak”, & gets weaker in regards to writing as it makes me nervous. What a precious letter!! It has flooded all the morning with light & it has been a busy morning too for it is market morning. As I was not at Court yesterday – in fact am wondering if with my weak health & the *’beyond’* calling out, I shd. not leave it altogether - Well, every one is here telling what did, or did not occur, & thinking I can recast the case & allow appeal & give advice & etc., etc., etc., & Mary has been down with all her new full blown importance as a *Matron*, what with Bananas for me, & a water cooler, & biscuits for the bairns – she turned the house upside down before they started for the Market. We got a new baby too yest. from Aro Chuku, & she has had to be admired & handled & petted, & the older one did not see the fun of that, & made herself known. But in all the confusion, my heart has been singing, & I am just to tell you so at once. *Each* *Message* you send has an UNCTION with it, Do you understand what I mean? You get letters which are nice, & you are very grateful to the writers, & etc., etc., but some come *always * as an inspiration full of the Holy Lords power. These are His dictation I’m quite sure, & *yours is* *always* that, & this time you have the grand news of a brother & sister in law being born again. O dear sister, I am glad with you, & have just asked God to shew them His Salvation in such fulness that it will satiate their souls & captivate them for ever with His love. I know what it is to pray long years too. I had to for my father & never got the answer you have got. But I *know* my Father & lord so well, I can leave it with Him for the lower fatherhood. Let me tell you of a great joy I had last week at our Catechumen class(Note 1), a lad, who will *surely* be baptised at first Communion has waited for his wife for over a year. Last week when Class was over, He waited & said, “Ma, There she is”, & there she was!! Taken the great step. She is from a very heathen town miles away, & is a fine looking lassie & just at her confinement. Then a Man who brought his mother a month ago, said, “Here is my nephew, & after asking him if he had made the great decision, & got the answer, He said, “There is my wife, & she came forward, a much older woman than he is a man, so I asked if she had been his fathers wife & he answered ’Yes’ which means that they *may* *not* be married as Xtians(Note 2), but she is convinced she says, that Gods way is *the* way & has gone into it. Then a woman with 2 children came forward & said “My husband is coming bye & bye. He says I may come to the Class for instruction & learn till he can join me, when he means to put his name among Gods people, & we shall walk in His way. He has told his other wives, so they know they must go. The husband is in this case the owner of the woman. He bought her years ago, & his owner again knows all Gods Word, tho’ he is not a Church Member, & is therefore not likely to hinder them. That makes 3 women, & a man in one day! O my dear it is simply splendid, specially as it is so very difficult as a rule to get in these women. & here they come of their own accord as it were. But the Joy tho real & deep goes just a short way when the overwhelming number who do not come, & do not care for these things, looms up again & the care for them, puts all else in the shade. Still when I find the bell rung for me, the Church all swept, tables & seats laid, & a Congregation of 100 *waiting*, my heart rises in gratitude. What if I had to hunt them up, & clean up myself! & seek out children, & do what so many have to do, to get someone to come! O how good our Father is to me!! Miss Annie McMinn went up to be with her sister till Presby(Note 3) - & she being left with the new Miss (-ess?) who is not too robust, we sent Miss Rosina to be with them at Okoyon for a month. Hence Miss Turner went up to Miss Peacock while she, Miss Rosina, is away. Miss Peacock had a number of visitors for a time, & so was, & is I fear rather tired. She has the Dispensary when Miss Rosina is away. Miss Turner does not know any thing about that kind of work, & does not understand school work either, but Miss P takes the Dispensary herself, so as she has a native teacher in school, she sends Miss Turner there with him, & her presence is a reason then for sending girls. I am going to the school here myself, except when Janie goes if I am too busy or tired. The Settlement can not be a fact till we get help. I have had too much fever for any other than station & household work, & as Annie & Mary have both been married this last year & gone to homes of their own, Janie & the young ones are only able for house & station work.

I don’t think the Church realizes that we are not only none to the good, but *one* *less* than we were a few years ago, all the Extension talk & money notwithstanding, & a settlement or any thing else must have a staff & a permanent, & a - to some extent, trained staff if it is to be anything. One cant take in & start people & then throw them off when some one goes home. I see this is a half sheet only, & my time is up, but dear,dear friend my hearts love goes with it, & all here if they knew I was writing wd join Miss P. & (T?) all.

I have a letter from dear Rosie McMinn this morning, she & her sister are well as also Miss (L?) Amess. I’m just to send up a line to dear Miss Peacock. How well off I am with them. They are all so good & tender with me. Now give my best regards to your parents. My Mother was just like yours, & love for yourself.

from yours affectionately

M M Slessor