“HE will fulfill the desire of them that fear him" (Psa. 145:19) is still a precious word of encouragement to those who desire not only to know but to do the will of God, and the strength and comfort it gave did not fail Miss Slessor as she went forward.
Soon after her return to Africa in October, 1880, she was free (her work at Duke Town having been taken over by others) to go inland. Her new sphere of work was to be at Old Town among some of the darkest and wildest tribes in the west of Africa. The change would mean her living alone at a distance from fellow-workers, and living almost wholly upon native food. But the chief and headman of the first village she visited were friendly, and the service she had longed and prayed for lay before her. So taking with her one young woman who could not speak a word of English, and several small boys and girls of whom she had taken the entire charge, she said a cheerful good-bye to friends at Duke Town and went to her new field of work.
The native house in which she, with the children, was to live did not look very inviting or give much promise of comfort. It was built of mud and wattle with a mat roof, where all through the day lizards seemed to be playing at hide and seek, while at night rats ran over the sleepers.
Almost her first work was to begin a day and Sunday school. The people attended well, old and young wishing to be taught, the headman, or under chief of the village, taking his place day after day with those who were learning A. B. C., and in the Sunday school repeating texts and hymns with the children. He set them a good example, for he was never absent and, though he had no clock, hardly ever late.
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LIZARD AND RATS PLAYED AT HIDE AND SEEK
But Mary Slessor soon found that her work would not be all smooth sailing, for though the people following the lead of their headman were friendly and quite willing to learn to read, and a few even showed some interest in the gospel message, they did not wish to give up the worship of idols or part with their old cruel customs, and it grieved her deeply when she learned what a number of little babies were killed every year.
Twin babies were not allowed to live, and the mother was driven from her home, no one daring to give her food or shelter. She often hid herself in the bush, where she either died of hunger or was eaten by wild beasts; and as no one cared for the trouble of bringing up a baby whose mother had died, it was either killed or thrown away to die of starvation. Mary told them that such conduct was displeasing to God, and that she was quite willing to take the babies that nobody wanted, love them, care for them, and when they were old enough teach them.
The chiefs looked very grave and called the people together for a great native palaver. After some hours spent in talking they said they would not so much mind the motherless babies being taken care of, but if twins were allowed to live they were sure the Juju god would be angry, and send plague, famine or some other trouble on the village. "No, no, the twin babies and their mothers must be got rid of as quickly as possible." Mary tried to show them how foolish and even wicked their conduct was. The day was a long and trying one, but it closed without her having been able to gain her point.
She had, however, one faithful friend, the widow of a chief, who though a heathen was a thoughtful, sensible woman; and though she did not see that the waste of child-life was really a sin against God, she made up her mind to stand by Mary and help her in every way she could. She seemed to know at once when and where twins were born, and would send a message, usually in the form of a secret sign, so well understood among Africans. Mary would then hurry off to the place and carry away the babies.
At first she tried taking the mothers with them to her house, but soon gave that up as worse than useless, for the mothers themselves did not wish the babies to live, and they neglected or badly treated them. First one baby would die and then the other, and the mother would run away and hide in the bush. Very soon there were quite a number of babies in the mission house; the elder girls helped to nurse and take care of them.
Her hands were very full ones. She not only taught school, visited the people in their huts, looked after the wants of her numerous household, but undertook the work of a small dispensary, to which people were coming sometimes all day long, and often from great distances, for medicine either for themselves or their sick friends.
One day as she sat sewing she noticed a tornado (a violent storm of wind and rain) brewing over the Calabar hills. She knew what was coming and did not attempt to go out. The storm broke over the village; the wind lifted fences, canoes, trees and buildings, tearing off the mat roof of her house. The thunder pealed and the rain came down in torrents. It was quite dark, except for the vivid flashes of lightning.
She had seen heavy storms before but never such a bad one. The frightened people came crowding into her yard. Taking a baby in each arm she groped her way through the water which reached up to her knees. She managed to secure a few wraps, and then, to keep up the spirits of the children, who were clinging to her and crying, started a hymn, "Come, let us sing." One by one they joined her, and there above the crash of thunder and the roar of the tempest the song of praise was heard.