By Thomas Titcomhe
n p H E c r y kept going up in the mid- Jl- night air: “ A fe ojo o, a fe ojo o!” — “We want rain! We want rain!” All over a large section, of Africa this cry was heard. May was almost past, and there had been no rain for more than a month. The shoots of the yams had come through the ground, but because there had been no rain, all the crops were being destroyed. In great distress, the natives cried out for rain, and the witch doctors with all their bluster and noise prom ised they would bring rain. They took out Sango, the largest idol they had, and went out into the bush. For a week they cried, shouted, beat their drums, and blew rams’ horns to bring down the rain. If noise had been suf ficient, they would have brought down the heavens. Two of the witch doctors climbed a palm tree, thinking they could get nearer their god so that he could hear. At the end of the week, they sacrificed a cow to the heathen god, and poured the blood all over the large image. But there was still no sign of rain. The witch doctors said that if the white man had not been there, they could have sacrificed a girl, and then the rain would have been sent.
The Mohammedans said, scorn fully: “ Of course you have no rain. How can idols answer? You are only pagans, but we will bring the rain. We will fast for a week and cry to > Rev. Thomas Titcombe, affection- $ > ately known as “ Tommie” Titcombe S ? is this year celebrating the fiftieth an- > l niversary of entering Africa under the > < Sudan Interior Mission to spend the > < greater part of his life as a missionary > < in this dark continent. Many are the ) < stories that this faithful servant of the | s Lord can relate of the miraculous c < power of the Lord as He worked in ( s the hearts and lives of a pagan < >people. Beloved “ Tommie” Titcombe < 5 is 77 years of age and though not in < 5 Africa now, his heart is still there, t > Those who have been privileged to s > hear him speak will never forget him f > or his message. And many are serv- 5 ) ing the Lord today in the mission > } fields of the world because of this > i man's testimony by life and message. > our prophet, and he will send us the rain.” All day and night the mission aries could hear the Mohammedans at prayer, and at the close of a week, the Mohammedans sacrificed a lamb. But still there was no rain! The cry went up from all: “We need rain, or
we starve. We must have rain.” All week the missionary had been praying that the native Christians would realize that they could trust their heavenly Father and that they themselves would ask for a special meeting to pray for rain. On Sunday he had just finished giving a message from the Bible, when some one touched his elbow, and as he turned around, he saw the native pastor, dressed in a white cloth, with his feet bare. The African pastor said, “ Is it not time for us to pray?” The missionary tested him, saying: “ The pagans prayed for a week, and no rain came. The Mohammedans prayed, and they got no rain. Do you think we can get rain?” The native replied: “White man, we are not pagans, for they have only wood and stone. It is true that the idols have ears, but hear not, eyes, but see not. It is true that we used to worship the idols, but they never heard our cries. As for Mohammed, he lived, but he died, and is still dead. He cannot answer. Our Saviour, Jesus, bom of a virgin, lived, died, and was buried, but He came out of the grave, and today He lives, and waits to hear our cry, and when we cry He hears.”
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THE K IN G 'S BU SINESS
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