Letter from Rev. John Day
The letter which follows is from our veteran missionary who, in
feeble health, writes from Sierra Leone, whither he had gone to supervise
our interests there.
Free Town, Siena Leone,
May
6й1,
1857
Rev. Mr. Poindexter:
Very Dear Sir: — I have been in this place ever since the
22d, of last month. I have received several letters here-some old. I
think it best to send letters for Liberia to Monrovia.
I have appointed Leigh Richmond as teacher of the school
here. Educated in the Church of England — baptized some 10
years ago; he was long teacher in the Methodist Mission, and has
good recommendations.
At Waterloo there are eight wishing to join the Baptists.
We must not give up that place. Cosso, where our chapel is, is a
native town. The eight now to be baptized will make twelve native
Baptists at Cosso. I have employed a young man very highly
recommended, by name, George Wicks, and send him there to
preach, catechize and devote himself to the work of the mission. I
allow him S200. Mr. Brown, whose labour is beyond his strength
already, having two congregations in Free Town, I employ to
devote all the time he can at Waterloo. I allow him S200. I also
allow $100 to the teacher at Waterloo. They have a very poor
teacher at Free Town. A committee is now appointed and will
appoint a teacher; I stand by to see what sort of a man he is to be,
and will then see what we will allow him. I was last Monday at
Mr. William Jenkins, a native Ebo. I preached in his Church the
day before. Conversing with him, I said, I hear you build the
Church I preached in yesterday? Yes, I build im. How much you
pay? Close £600 — Church no pay some? No, he no fit im. He no
fit white wash im. Paint, he no fit paint im. You charge that house
for Church? No, I build im for God! What did I hear! An Ebo
man then barefooted, tell me that he had built a Church, costing
$3000, for God. Will Christians in your heaven-favoured land be
thus out done. This man used to allow his wife a monthly pittance,
and she, of that pittance, made a donation to the first Baptist
Church of $150. “Don’t tell Billy, or he will think I don’t need this
