CMS CA2/O53/5  George Jefferies

 

To the Committee of the C.M.S.  Ibadan West Africa. Oct 23rd 1860.

 

     "On June 20th I went visiting ...called upon one Adebiyi one of my congregation. In the evening I visited seven compounds and found only two of the masters of the compound in. The others had gone to the war taking all the males residing in the compound with him. I generally say a few words to the women but this rather a delicate point in as much as the master of the compound do not like their wives visited in their absence."

 

       "On the 28th of June I visited a large compound and was surrounded by about sixty people of both sexes & all ages. I invited them to attend and hear the word of God. I am glad that the master of the house fulfilled his promise by attending & with him many of his sons, but after about six weeks attendance he was called to the war camp & I believe he is there now."

 

     Most of those who give up their heathen ways & endeavour to cleave unto the Lord in some shape or another are subject to scorn & derision. Adebiyi was one who was derided for Christ's sake On the 3rd of July I visited Adebiyi's sick father, while I was talking to him, the scoffer came & sat down under the word of the gospel. The word ... spoken to the sick came home with power & with a blessing to the scoffers heart & on the following sabbath he came with the one he used to deride & made a humble apology for his past wicked ways. The man is a slave and as soon as his master heard that he attended white man's house he forbade him for the future. The consequence is that the man does not come now, but from enquiries I hear that he is saving as much money as he is able for the purpose of redeeming himself.

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(H.V.) to Revds. & Dear Sir,  Ibadan, Lagos, W.Afriica. March 1861. 

     "I have not received any silver since last June and the last cheque I sent down is lost as the men who carried the mail were kidnapped & all our letters lost."

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            A few days ago, one of the Ijaiye captives of war came to pay me a visit, after some general converstion I asked him if he knew the white man at Ijaye.