EDINA
Letter from Rev. J. H. Cheeseman.
REV. A. M. POINDEXTER,
Richmond Va., U. S. A.
DEAR BROTHER — It affords me pleasure to
acknowledge the receipt of a letter from you, under date of April
23d, and beg to say in reply, that your request will be promptly
met, if not prevented by unavoidable circumstances.
I was very much gratified to see in several papers sent me
by brother Crane of Baltimore, that many were being brought to
experience the religion of our Lord Jesus Christ in your land, and
earnestly hope that the work may still continue, until from the
centre to the circumference of your vast continent, the praises of
the Redeemer shall be heard, — and not stop there, but that our
country (Africa) may enjoy it.
Christian benevolence is universal, but I suppose it would
be unnatural for one to feel so much interested for others as to be
wholly indifferent about himself. If this be true of individuals, it
must also be applicable to families and nations. The apostle Paul
felt for his brethren, the Jews, and earnestly prayed that they might
be saved; and I assure you, my brother that my heart's desire and
prayer to God is, that Africa may be saved. I do not know that I
shall be able to reap much, but if I can be instrumental in sowing
the seeds of truth and another reaps, we will both rejoice together.
The natives are very tenacious of their customs, and those
who have lost confidence in their Gree-grees, &c., need moral
courage to give publicity to it.
In conversation with a chief named Bonaw, a few days ago,
I asked him why he had Gree-gree in his town. He replied that he
knew there was but one God, but that it was country fash to have
Gree gree, — if he did not have it the people would make "witch"
for him, id est, poison him. Another, named Badineple, said he
believed that the country doctors — necromancers — were all
imposters, and that he intended to have no more of them in his
town, and begged that I would take himself and people under my
protection, and establish a school among them at once. 1 assured
