82 
GOD'S BLACK DIAMONDS. 
soared nearly as high as an aeroplane, and these 
fine old Christians have found it impossible to get 
enough to eat. It was the missionary's turn to 
spend a Sunday at Roodekop, when things were 
reaching their very worst. Quite in a casual way the 
missionary found that at three o'clock that after- 
noon they had not broken their fast that day. Their 
cupboard was like Mother Hubbard's — bare — so 
what could they do but fast ? They would not steal, 
and to beg they were ashamed. Leeuw and his wife 
discussed the question of going where prospects 
might be brighter and opportunities more numer- 
ous for such as they. But Leeuw felt he could not 
leave the Church at Roodekop. He would sooner 
STARVE first ! This incident from the South puts me 
in mind of what happened at Arsibong Town when 
the people got to know we were about to remove 
the headquarters of our Mission — probably to Oron. 
They held a church meeting, at which Mr. Banham 
and I were present. The occasion was felt by every- 
one to be of unusual importance. When the people 
spoke, they used words which befitted ^* the part- 
ing of the ways." When common agreement was 
arrived at, this was what they asked us to do, viz., 
allow a number of influential heads of families to 
go with us on our next visit to Oron, and help them 
to secure sites for homes at the very least. They 
faced the grave possibility of being unable to 
secure ground for farms, and decided it was better 
to live where the Mission settled down — farm or no 
farm — for they said: Gospel-palaver he done 
come before bread-palaver and yam-palaver!" 
Splendid, wasn't it? From far away Bende we 
hear of the splendid life and influence of a bright 
