Counting A ll Things But Loss” A REAL COMMENTARY FROM EXPERIENCE ON PHIL. 3:8 AND ROM. 8:28
Bj) Benjamen Harter Witk Africa Inlana Mission
Kijabe, British East Africa. Dec. 12, 1317. Dear Mr. and Mrs. Brooks and Mr. and Mrs. Pike:— ' I suppose you thought that you would never hear from me again after leaving home for Africa. You came very near not hearing again, I can assure you. I am sure you will be interested to know a littie of my experiences. First of all I had a very hard time in getting my passport. I received it just two days before the ship sailed. I came out to Africa knowing that if I was drafted into service, I would have to come back home at my own expense. I made this a matter of prayer and the Lord gave me assurance that it was His will for me to go just the same, so I went trusting Him to look after the draft. , The Lord performed miracles in regard to the sailing of our ship or some of our party.would never have sailed. After arriving in New York we had to repack all our personal goods from our trunks into boxes of 50 pounds each. Our party numbered nineteen mis sionaries and two children, all going to dark Africa to tell the story of Jesus and His love. We left New York on board the steamship, “ City of Athens” on Thursday July 12. Our route was via. the West Indies, around the Cape of Good Hope and up the east coast of Africa to Mombasa. We had a most delightful and enjoyable trip up to the day of our shipwreck. On Friday, August 10th, about 10 o’clock, we caught our first glimpse of Africa, the
promised land where we expected to labor for our Master. Our hearts were filled with joy and we were in excellent spirits. We expected to arrive in Cape Town before dark. About 3:30 P. M. we were within 25 miles of Cape Town, and suddenly without one word of warning there were two terrific explos ions, one on either side of the ship near the bow. The ship stopped immediately as if she had struck some immovable object. The ship was traveling about 15 miles an hour when she struck and I dare say she did not move over a foot after she struck. We learned later that we struck twin mines. The force of the explosions lifted the fore-part of the ship up and the whole ship shook and trembled from stern to stern, like a leaf in a wind storm. Parts of. the bow of the ship were blown up and pieces of wood and steel flew in all directions. The ship took fire imme diately following the explosions. The explosions of course frightened every one at first. Most of the passengers were on deck with field glasses, looking at the land, some were in their state rooms taking their afternoon nap. The force of the explosions sent those who were on deck scurying to the rear, fall ing over chairs and other obstacles. All this that I have described to you hap pened in two or three seconds. In less than ten seconds everyone and everything was quiet. There was no panic whatever, probably due to the fact that most of the passengers were Christians. This was the most remark able thing of the whole accident. There
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