Our saw-mill, being the only one on the coast, can be brought into service constantly. Logs are plentiful in the neighborhood, and the people are willing to work. The coffee farm at Avery shows signs of progress, and very soon we may hope for a yield that will test the value of the experiment. The church and school have been kept up, much attention being given in the church to rigorous discipline, where the members had inclined too strongly toward the barbarous customs of the heathen about them. We have long felt the need of a business superintendent to manage the affairs of the mill and farm at Avery, to take care of the property at Good Hope and Debia, and to keep the temporary home at Freetown in readiness for the missionaries on their way to and fro. Mr. I. J. St. John, a man of considerable experience in business affairs, has been appointed to fill this position. In common with other missionary societies, laboring for the redemption of Africa, we find that where there are no roads or domestic animals, but many rivers, a suitable steamer would be quite serviceable in promoting the interests of our civilizing operations, and in adding to the comfort of our missionaries. We believe we ought to provide such a steamer for the Mendi Mission as early as possible, and our appeals are already out for $10,000 as a special fund for this purpose.
We were saddened early in the summer by the unexpected death of Rev. Mr. Kemp, which was followed soon after by the death of his wife, just as they were settling down to the life work they had chosen. Both of these dear missionaries were unavoidably exposed in open boats to the bad influences of the climate. By their death they illustrate our need of more speed and better shelter in transporting missionaries from station to station.
We have appointed Rev. J. M. Williams, a native of South America and an experienced worker in Africa, to carry on the work at Kaw Mendi, the first station occupied on the return of the Amistad captives.
Rev. J. M. Hall, a graduate of Maryville College and of the Theological Department of Howard University, has consented to fill the place vacated by the death of Mr. Kemp, and he, with Mr. St. John, left America in October for the mission.