Africa
The subjoined letter from Rev. Mr. Gurley, speaks for itself. It is
an answer to inquiries relative to the Schools of our Board, which it was
understood were visited by him during his recent visit as Commissioner
of the United States government, to the Liberia Republic. The
statements it contains are of a gratifying character, and will serve to
encourage the friends of missions in their efforts to evangelize the tribes
on the coast. The letter is dated from Washington, January 20, 1850:
Rev. and dear sir, -I regret that I have been unable earlier to
reply to your favor of the 11th, especially since I feel the deepest
interest in the great object which your Society is promoting with
signal success in Africa.
I visited twice your excellent superintendent, the Rev. John
Day, at Bexley, and I became personally acquainted with a goodly
number, if not with nearly all your missionaries. Mr. Day and his
associates in Christian labors, appeared to me eminently devoted to
the cause of the Redeemer; and the native school of the
superintendent, as well as that under the care of the Northern
Baptist Board, (now taught by an educated native African, Mr. Van
Brun,) presented scenes to awaken the gratitude and joy of every
pious heart. I am favored with a full statistical report from Mr.
Day, of the state and prospects of your missions, but it probably
contains nothing, of which you have not received intelligence. Mr.
Day observes in the conclusion:
“In our schools are taught say 330 children, 92 of whom
are natives. To more than 10,000 natives, the Word of Life is
statedly preached, and in every settlement in these colonies, we
have a church, to whom the various means of grace are
administered, and in every village we have an interesting Sunday
School, where the natives as well as colonists, are taught the truths
of God’s word. Say in our Sunday Schools, are taught 400
colonists, and 200 natives; and all has been done at an expense of
$4,680. Our appropriation this year was $3,600; I have
overreached the appropriation more than a thousand dollars,
hoping the good people in America, would not allow me to lose the
amount I have so necessarily and advantageously applied. We
have this year baptized 18 natives and 7 colonists, besides what
have been baptized by Messrs. Murray and Drayton, from whom I
have had no report. Although we cannot boast of many
