West Africa by D. U. HALE

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 14, 1903

West Africa

By D. U. HALE

MANSU, GOLD COAST.—I think I wrote you that the chief of Mansu, who is very wealthy and influential, is anxious for us to establish a school in his village. I took Brother Hayford with me the other day to visit him. He called his leading men, and we placed before them our intentions. He and his men expressed an earnest desire for us to come there and establish a school. I told them that we should need land, so they gave me a beautiful place to build on, a high hill just outside the village. I think it will be quite healthful for my family. It will take over a thousand dollars to put up proper buildings for the workers and the school.

The village has never had any missionary work done in it. It is one of the best ports on the coast, and very convenient to Sekondi, being only sixteen miles by railway. In July the railroad will be opened up for traffic to a place called Oboassa, about one hundred and twenty-eight miles into the interior, and the final terminus will be Kumassi, the capital of Ashantee.

Taking everything into consideration, I believe it to be a wonderful providence of God, as I can be in the closest touch possible with all the coast, the interior, and my home, by railway, postal, telegraph, and steamship lines. Besides, it is about as healthful as any place we could find without going about seventeen miles into the country.

I believe our situation requires haste. We must begin to build, that we may get into a place more conducive to health, or my usefulness and the usefulness of my family may be cut short. Besides, the work here requires haste, as the way is opening for the message to go faster than we are able to fill the calls.

Brother Hyatt is doing what he can to advance the work in Cape Coast. He has a school, and is gathering boys of all classes into it, in the hope that the Lord will give him some honest souls as the result of his labors.

LATER: I came up from Cape Coast, and am now at Sekondi. Brother Hayford is with me. We shall go back to his mining camp, where I am located. But now that we have a place permanently established, I hope to get to it as quickly as possible, but must have something with which to build a house, at least to start one, then we can move in, and finish later.

I am picking up the language quite fast among Brother Hayford’s men, but wish I were in a school instead.

D. U. HALE.