Africa
Extract of a letter from Bro. Joseph M. Hardin
The young brother from whom the letter below comes, was baptized by
Dr. Fuller in Baltimore, and being for some time under the tuition of brother
William Crane, with reference to the missionary work, was some time last year
placed under the direction of the superintending committee on the coast of
Africa, to labor as an itinerant. He has been for the present placed on the St.
Paul’s river, and the following is the first communication received from him.
NEW VIRGINIA, September 29'h, 1851
Dear brother Taylor, — I received your kind and
affectionate letter of July 11th, and it affords me great pleasure to
inform you that I have passed through the acclimating fever, and
that I have, in great measure recovered from those symptoms with
which I was afflicted in America. It has been thought best by the
committee that I should take charge of the Virginia station, and I
was on my way to that place when I received your letter. I
commenced my duties at this station on Sunday the 21st inst., and
with a dependence upon the Holy Spirit, I am endeavoring
faithfully to discharge my duty in a meek, patient, and humble
manner. Your advice as to the cultivation of a right spirit, I
appreciate. My education I know is defective, and, as brethren
Cheeseman and Day both can tell you, I have seized upon every
opportunity for improving my mind. To sit down contented with
my present attainments here in Virginia, would be foolish and
wicked. I have never met with so much ignorance in all my life.
But few can read intelligibly. The church has suffered greatly for
want of a pastor. I feel that there rests upon me a great
responsibility, and often do I adopt the language of Paul and say,
“Who is sufficient for these things.” But like that same apostle, I
feel that “I can do all things through Christ, who strengtheneth
me.”
I have preached, since I have been in Africa, 25
sermons: 2 at Bexley, 1 at Bassa Cove, 18 at Edina, 2 at Virginia, 1
at New Georgia, 1 at Caldwell. I have five churches to preach to,
besides looking after the schools, &c. I regret to inform you that I
have suffered a heavy loss since I came to this country, of my only
daughter, an interesting child of five weeks old, besides four
barrels of provision. Like Jacob I may say, all these things appear
to work against me, but still they have a tendency to teach me not
to set my affections on things below the skies. You request me to
