326 
MISSIONARY LIFE 
not pleasant. The industrial department does 
not now pay expenses, but is nevertheless very 
important, and should be enlarged and well cared 
for. Many remarkable providences of unmistak- 
able import occurred in connection with the Afri- 
can misson, several of which I should speak of in 
this report but for its already great length. One 
only will be briefly considered; namely, - that 
which led to the coalition of Mendi with Sher- 
bro Mission, and our building and operating of 
the steamer John Brown. This led us to send 
to Africa Brothers Lesher, Sage, and wives, and 
to the opening of new stations, and the erection 
of new buildings. All these have contributed to 
our debt; and, as I remarked before, they seem to 
have been mistakes. But God has overruled 
them for the accomplishment of a most wonder- 
ful work. It looks as though it was God’s set 
time to favor Zion upon that mission, as the in- 
terest awakened and our increase of members 
from 514 to 1,526 during the last year shows. As 
before intimated, neither the Executive Commit- 
tee at Dayton nor Mr. Gomer in Africa did all 
the managing the last few years, but the Buler of 
the universe did some of it most manifestly; and 
he who has led us so wonderfully will lead us still, 
and give us continued success in Africa, as well 
