God asked me how big God was, and then, pointing to a place about fifteen feet away, asked: "Is he as big as from here to there?"

One man who seemed to have some little interest in the matter of his eternal welfare one day asked me if I could not give him some medicine so he could swallow it down and have this salvation right inside of him. I told him of course to call upon Jesus. Like many in civilized climes he did not wish to give up his sins, make restitution, etc., but preferred, if possible, to take it as a pill, so no one would know about it. He was willing to take Jesus and heaven, but did not want the

cross.

It is too bad that there are some missionaries who teach the natives they can have salvation on their own terms. Some, alas! in Africa teach that the heathen need not give up his numerous wives; need not give up his drinking or smoking, etc. All he has to do is to accept Christ," learn to read, join the church, be baptized, and all will be well. Such deceivers will, I fear, with the beast and the false prophet, have their part in the lake of fire.

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Near our station at Cherene there was a brother of the chief who was deaf and dumb. At times I would visit him and endeavor to tell him about God. As natives know nothing of the deaf and dumb alphabet, it was hard work to make him understand about spiritual matters. He lived alone near the bank of a river where there were many alligators and hippopotami. One time, while fishing, his leg was seized by an alligator. Fortunately, he had a spear in his hand with which he wounded it, so that it let go and he escaped. In order to make him understand about praying I would kneel down, close my eyes and lift up my hands as if in prayer. He would watch with great wonder and make motions indicating that he understood. He had strange ways of describing things. When he meant a white man he would stroke his head to show that he meant the man with the soft hair. When describing death he would pass his hand over his mouth in a way peculiar to natives and make a peculiar sound, which every one knew meant death. One could explain to him about stealing and some other bad things, but many things, of course, it was utterly impossible to make him un

derstand. There were quite a few deaf and dumb natives around, and also a few blind. All those in heathendom afflicted in these ways are, indeed, objects of pity. Heathen people generally have but little sympathy, and those afflicted in any way have little or no care taken of them. It would seem that the blind have a better chance to learn of God, as they can hear what is said, but we must not limit the power of God. While the deaf and dumb man referred to gave no signs of repentance, yet who but God knew his heart? Some day he may be seen at the right hand of God, brought there through the feeble efforts put forth to teach him of the true God and eternal life. At any rate, his punishment will not be so great as that of those whose hearts have waxed gross, whose ears are dull of hearing and whose eyes are closed, lest at any time they should see with their eyes and should understand with their heart and should be savingly and happily converted to God.

Surely no one can read the foregoing experiences without being deeply impressed with the difficulties, apparently yet only apparently insurmountable, under which the devoted pioneer missionary of whom we write labored in endeavoring to acquaint "the heathen in his blindness" with the gospel of the Son of God. To the end of the age, however, such efforts, inspired by faith and love and prayer, are sure to bring forth fruit. God's word shall not return unto him void, but shall accomplish that which he doth please, and prosper in the thing whereto he hath sent it (Isa. 55: 10, II).

CHAPTER XIII.

ALONE ON THE FIELD-FIGHTING THE FEVER-RETURN

TO NATAL.

The way is long and dreary,
The path is bleak and bare,
My feet are worn and weary,
But I will not despair.
More heavy was thy burden,
More desolate thy way,

O Lamb of God, who takest
The sin of the world away.

-Adelaide A. Proctor.

In the summer of 1886 Mr. and Mrs. Kelley were compelled to take their leave of Africa on account of Mr. Kelley's health being so broken that their continuance there ould have meant a certain and speedy death for him. Their withdrawal from the field left Mr. Agnew, then but twenty-two years of age, on the field alone. In his diary appears the following reference to this event:

JUNE 1, 1886. Brother and Sister Kelley started off at about 6:30 a. m.; so I am left alone once more, and with the prospect of remaining so until some other missionary arrives.

Mr. Agnew also states later that "Mr. Kelley's health was such that it would have been folly for him to have remained longer," and then pays a brief tribute to him and his excellent wife, in which he also acknowledges his indebtedness to them for their helpful influence in his own religious life, and in the way

of better preparing him for his life's work. He also

says:

I learned many things from Brother Kelley. In our conversations he told me many things which opened my eyes, and

which were useful to me in the years following.

Sister Au

gusta Tullis Kelley I never saw afterwards. She was a woman who lived close to Jesus. She was thoughtful of me, and did

many things for me such as a mother would do. As I was naturally very unsympathetic and unappreciative, I was necessarily a trial to her. I can freely endorse all that has been written about her gentle Christian character, and shall rejoice to meet her again in the land of unclouded light.

After the departure of Mr. and Mrs. Kelley Mr. Agnew endeavored to do what he could alone, but found the work difficult and its progress very slow. "The language at Komeni," he tells us, "was a conglomerated mass of differing dialects, and was very difficult to learn." The hearts of the people seemed calloused, and it seemed to him as if he did no good. He also had much fever, in addition to his other discouragements, and while he knew that his labor could not be in vain, yet it was disheartening work, and no one but God could have sustained him in such a place. He was alone, fifty miles from civilization, and in the midst of raw heathens who thought they had a right to steal and cheat as much as they were able. A few extracts from the diary he kept at that time will give some idea of his loneliness, difficulties and bodily sufferings after the departure of Mr. and Mrs. Kelley, and of how things went on at Komeni station.

JUNE 5, 1886. A nice day. Felt like fever. It is hovering around. Wild cat came into the tent and ran away with a chicken I had baked for Sunday.

JUNE 9. We succeeded in killing the wild cat last night. I had two native traps made through the day, and in the evening, while Tom and I were sitting in the house, we heard the cat cry, and going out found it entrapped. It was speedily dispatched with a revolver. It measured two feet four and a half inches in length, and stood a foot high.

SUNDAY, JUNE 13. Felt unwell in the morning, but went out to preach. Had the presence of the Holy Ghost, and expected him to help me. He did so blessedly. The people were inter