146 
THOMAS J, COMBER. 
particular visit to San Salvador was especially refresh- 
ing to the sorely tried heart of the hard-working 
missionary, for he found the work most prosperous. 
He was delighted to see no less than fifty-seven boys 
in the school, many of whom had come a long 
distance on the road to meet him and his companions, 
and was most of all cheered by the fidelity of his old 
friends, feeling assured they were ‘‘ not far from the 
kingdom.” The day of the week on which he 
arrived was Saturday, and so on the following day he 
was able to conduct the Sunday services. On the 
morning of Monday, with inexpressible joy, he con- 
ducted the first Congo baptism in the presence of 
a large number of the people, the candidate being his 
boy, Mantu. The date of this important event, so 
full of promise to the Congo Mission, was the 29th 
of March, the year being 1886. 
Towards the end of May Mr. Comber was again at 
Wathen, which he now fully hoped would be his 
Congo home, and it seemed as if this hope might be 
realised. For several months he was able to pursue 
his labours without any interruption : no tidings 
coming to disturb him except those which announced 
the calamity by fire at the Pool station. But that 
disaster, being remediable, he felt sure friends at 
home would soon repair — a confidence most 
splendidly justified by their abounding liberality. 
Writing to Mr. Tritton, the Treasurer, on the 27th of 
September, he was able to rejoice that for eight 
months his fellow-missionaries — eighteen in number 
— had been preserved ; and that during the previous 
eight months, with only one exception, the same 
immunity from loss had been enjoyed. The mission 
at Wathen had now become thoroughly established. 
Twenty-five boys had been induced to come and live 
with him. His medical work was telling, and the 
people were willing and wanting to hear the 
Gospel. 
At the date of this communication, Mr. Bentley, 
