Monrovia, Liberia, lies like a crested jewel on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. On April 9 I was sent to this city of palms, sunshine, and friendly people to hold a ministerial institute and to conduct public meetings. The warm reception at the airport by L. E. Daniels, president of the mission, was but a harbinger of things to come.
Under the enlightened guidance of President Tubman, Liberia has justly earned the title of "Africa's most rapidly developing country." The friendly, intelligent, well-clothed people that walk the streets of Monrovia would surprise one whose conception of Africa is based on outdated, stereotyped, and critical literature.
About sixty miles from Monrovia, our Liberian Mission operates a school where teachers and workers are trained for the Lord's work. The Monrovian church has a membership of ninety, housed in a beautiful building on one of Monrovia's busiest thoroughfares. A ministerial institute was conducted for the nine ministers in attendance. Classes were held in the morning from nine-thirty to twelve-thirty, five days a week. L. E. Daniels taught a class in ministerial ethics, C. D. Henri taught advanced Bible doctrines, and I taught public evangelism.
The public meetings began out of doors in the sports commission. Capacity audiences gathered there for two weeks, after which the services were moved indoors to the Centennial Pavilion. This hall has housed many international conferences and it is beautiful and is well-equipped for such gatherings. Even the testing truths were listened to with much interest. At the close of the meetings 104 persons were buried with their Lord in baptism. Thanks to a strong preaching and visitation program by L. E. Daniels, president of the Liberian Mission, baptisms continue. Mrs. L. E. Daniels served nightly aS pianist. A minister of another denomination pastoring a church of 100 members, has united with us, and his membership is now being taught Adventism.
Much of the groundwork for the Liberian campaign was laid during the presidency of C. D. Henri, now ministerial association secretary of the West African Union. His personal friendship with high officials of the country made matters much easier for us. His numerous public campaigns in Monrovia also prepared many for baptism in our own campaign. Pastor Henri labored untiringly in the Liberian effort, then preceded us to Ghana to lay the groundwork for the Accra campaign.
The Accra evangelistic institute brought together twenty ministers from Ghana and Nigeria. Classes were held five days a week, with demonstration meetings at night. The full cooperation of the union staff, the publishing house, and the overseas ministers' wives made this meeting a team effort in the true sense of the word. The publishing house staff did a truly professional job in preparing the hall with murals, stage background, et cetera. Pastor H. J. Welch, president of the West African Union, taught classes daily during the institute. The ministers' wives, under the direction of Mrs. C. D. Henri, formed a chorus and rendered music nightly.
The meetings were held in the Baden Powell Memorial Hall on the beautiful ocean front in Accra. These meetings are continuing under the direction of Pastor Henri. There were ninety members in the Accra church at the beginning of the meetings. The campaign has thus far yielded 67 persons baptized, and the end is not in sight. Baptisms continue there. Among those baptized was the first woman magistrate in West African history. The Accra membership has outgrown its church facilities.
Ghana is indeed a colorful country; its leaders are liberal and its peoples extremely sensitive to the changing world pattern. I found the audience alert, literate, and receptive. The future is bright in West Africa, for the field is white with harvest.
