MOUNT HOPE
Letter from Rev. L. K. Crocker
MOUNT HOPE, Little Bassa ,
August 19th, 1859
Dear Brother Poindexter.
Though we who remain in this field are few in number, yet
I believe, and can almost say, I know that the hand of the Lord is in
this work, and what He has begun, we believe that He will carry
out.
Since I have been connected with your Board, (who are
kind enough still to remember the poor Bassas, who are without
God and hope in the world,) my constant prayers have been to Him
who heareth prayers, to enable and prepare me fully for this great
work of evangelizing my countrymen. My desires have ever been,
and still are, to preach the gospel to my perishing countrymen; and
though the world may not witness a large outpouring of the Spirit
of God on the people at present, yet daily experience, and the
change of the people’s habits and customs, do convince us, that the
time is not far distant when this cloud of superstition and
heathenism, which now hangs over this people, will be cast away
by the knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We are witnessing, as darkness will flee before natural
light, so the darkness of heathenism is here gradually flying before
the light of the gospel. Though it may be in a slow degree in our
eyes, yet the light is progressing steadily-and we have every
reason, particularly, to persevere in our work, for the “Lord will
not despise the day of small things.”
In my humble opinion, the Bassas, to which nation I
belong, need to be taught as well as to be preached to. Though
having a vague idea of the immortality of the soul, yet there is,
properly speaking, no mode of worship among them — for all the
benefits which they expect to receive from their grigris, &c., are in
this world. Death is dreaded, but no thought is hardly entertained
of what would become of the soul hereafter. The people manifest
willingness to listen to the gospel, and do, at this time, deplore
their wretched condition, and desire very much that the younger
generation be taught in the way of God and civilization.
