Letters and Articles 33–46

You Precious Old Darling!

That old office of yours would hear shrieks I fear, if I were there beside you just now, for certainly the hugging would not be all on your side. What a love of a letter you always write, & this one is simply a ’Crowner’(Note 1), only, Please spare the butter a wee bit, for I’m awfully fond of butter. If you ask Miss Adam, she’ll tell you how they used to keep all their mutton fat for me, & I ate it neat, without even a bite of bread. So beware of pandering to the depraved, natural tastes of your Missionary, to whom self abnegation should be everything in life. You old pet! Do you think any thing of this world’s glory *could* weigh me down? Of course you don’t. I *should* like tho’ if it would lift me *UP* to higher endeavour & noble acheivement, for O, surely no member of His Body is so unworthy of notice as I am! Ah, on “the crowning day thats coming” when He calls Mary Slessor, it will be to shew her the shining ones who have been keeping on the Power all the time that she was the so very miserable instrument of distributing. It is not anything in me dear one, so take the comfort of this to yourself, that the grand dynamic is Prayer. Prayer Waves pulsate from Britain out through Calabar. May they go back with infinite impetus to their source, & give out their precious treasure there. Thank you for all your news, & for taking me into your Home life again, & giving me a wee peep. God *Has* blessed you above many in your Home Wealth. May it long, long be your haven of refuge & rest! I do hope your holiday has done you good! It is so easy to “greet”(Note 2), & so difficult to “keep smilin” when body & mind are tired out. O, don’t I know it! But His power can overflow from a soul satisfied with His Good things, into the poor mortal body, & His resurrections are manifold & varied & beautiful. don’t I know that too!! Rather! & what He does for me, He does for the sisters of the family all over. He does it for *you* too. Eh? He is a Blessed Wonderful Master!! O that we may never disappoint Him! I had this morning in my Reading that incident which is always an enigma to me, & seems to throw a difficult & unreal light on the Lord. The blasting of the Fig Tree. Mathews version. Then at Worship came the last sad act in the life of Saul in Samuel. On Gilboa’s Mountains! Put the two together. It made a solemn lesson for us! Xt.(Note 3) was hungry! He was lonely, the shadow of Calvary was falling over Him. The Tree showed well, so did the grand Temple with its Crowds of Passover pilgrims, its staff of Learned Concecrated Officials. So did the Twelve Men who had left all to follow Him. But the Tree failed. It was useless for the purpose for which it was there. The Temple failed. It too was useless, worse than useless. It belied the God whom it represented. It shamed His Holiness. The well loved, well taught, well guided disciples failed utterly to understand, or to sympathise with the burden of unrequited love & the frustrated outflow of sympathy with which His heart welled over. On their journey up to the Capital - His last one - they quarrelled & sought only for greatness & place in the Kingdom of their imagination, & here “ they marvelled” at the fulfillment of His words. They only marvelled!! The world could do that much. They did not even ask the solemn purpose of His unwonted severity. Ah, Yes! We seldom come up to His reasonable expectations of us. Humanly speaking. We live on the outside, & He does not need us there. He *needs*, He *wants*, He *seeks* infinitely more. Just as we do, when we are hungry in soul, & He turns away from what is of so little use, & it comes true here & now, “To him that hath shall be given, & he shall have Abundance, but to him who hath not, shall be taken away even that he seemeth to have. The Fig Tree, the Souls Capacity withers away. Poor Saul & his fine boys, & the flower of Israels manhood!!

But here am I writing a sermon in return for that lovely letter. You can get plenty sermonizing at home. Its habit you see Preach, preach, preachin’. Well I have no news. We got the Govert. Motor Car & got a lovely run over here as far as the road permitted. The girls walked 10 miles, but the Govt. provided Hammock & boys for me at the other side, & my own Rickshaw got boys & carriers in the prisoners, so the girls were in Clover too, as they had no loads. We had a dozen of prisoners on this side, & some warders. I always get those, & they never try to run away. I think it has a good effect on them, & it gives them a walk, albeit they get a parcel to carry. They are always so careful of me too. My heart just keeps on singing at all Gods Goodness. Over a hundred young men came across & cleaned all the grounds, & cut the surrounding bush, & things have gone merrily as a marriage bell at school, but O! there has been much backsliding of many who began well. From various reasons, but very, *very* *muchly* from the fact that there is no one in charge while I am away, & the place is so brutishly heathen. Last night was Catechumen Class(Note 5), & I told them I should purge the Roll(Note 6) in a drastic fashion. I am also to withdraw my Countenance from the Chiefs. Still, I thank God, there are those faithful few who keep the light brightly burning. I hope Annie & her husband are on their way up now. They are to walk & stay with Mary at the middle of the journey, for a day or two to rest their limbs, & then tackle the last 24 miles when rested. He is to take the Station Jean had 5 miles from here. She has a sweet baby girl 7 weeks old, so she could not go in the canoe in this wet weather & sleep by the road. We spent an hour with Mary & David(Note 7) & we got breakfast, & a talk. Little Marion was in the motor to meet us, & sat on my knee, then after breakfast came on again tho’ it rained torrents. The roads were fearfull. David had to go on foot for labourers one time we sank in the sand, but we were all comfortable inside. We left Whitie(Note 8) at Mary’s for a change & joy to them both. It poured as we passed Ibiaku, so the looked forward to visit to Miss Welsh was out of the question. I was so sorry to pass her hoosie(Note 9) by. I fear she will be gone before I can get back. I had a letter from Mr Rankin to day with a pair of specs I was getting soldered at Duke Town. He found a canoe coming here to market & sent a wee wordie(Note 10). It is so cheering. He says Mr McGregor has passed - leaving the specs - to Ibon. I hope it is that he has got a bit of ground at the beach there at long last, in order to build a shed for our brethren on their landing there. It is so difficult to get liberty to build just now that Government is changing the land laws, but it is all for the safeguarding of land to the natives. I am wondering if Miss Peacock will soon be coming. She gives no idea of the time. It is sad to see the doors locked. I expect our new sisters will be on their way. They will be welcome indeed. My two big girls are home from Orange Grove. Maggie is with me in school. The others are working the wet sand & rubbing the walls & putting in new floors. Alice says the bell has rung for school, so I must close this. I don’t know when I shall get it posted, but it will be ready when the time & opportunity comes. All here send love. They know your Photo, tho’ they don’t know you. And a warm heartfull goes from your very affectionate friend.

Mary M Slessor

My warmest regards to your parents & brother, that goes without saying. I shall write to Mr Stevenson as soon as I can.