[The house of Mammy NICOLLS, on the Calle de Nicholas, Santa Isabel, February, 1870. It is a wooden house, elevated from the ground and entered by a wooden stepladder, RIGHT. Door on LEFT to inner apartment. Window at back without glass, but wooden shutters. Plain furniture: chairs round walls, small table with coloured cloth. A swiss cuckoo-clock on wall LEFT. It is 11 a.m. The party have just entered the house, Widow NICOLLS, in gay print dress and turban, having come up with them from the beach. She stands back CENTRE, by the window, manifestly excited. As she speaks she looks towards the inner door. Rev. and Mrs. HENRY ROE, Rev. and Mrs. R. W. BURNETT and little WILLIE BURNETT (2 years old) are occupying the RIGHT half of the stage, with T. R. PRINCE behind them, just as they have come in at the door, RIGHT. Mr. BURNETT has been carrying WILLIE, and sets him down as soon as the curtain rises.]
Mammy N.: ‘Ria! Rosa! [These, Mammy N.’s native maids, come running from inner room, through door LEFT. They are shy, but curious and smiling. They bob curtseys as they face the new-comers.] Set de chairs fo’ the Lor’s sarbants! [They bring chairs from around the walls and set them forward. Smiling their thanks, Mr. and Mrs. ROE sit facing front, the BURNETTS on RIGHT, facing inward. Mrs. B. takes WILLIE. PRINCE stands between these two groups towards the back. As conversation continues, Mammy N. moves about, chiefly occupying LEFT of stage. Girls retire into background, LEFT.]
ROE [wiping his face]: Ha! Quite a little climb from the shore. Well, Mrs. Nicolls, you all gave us a good welcome down there.
Mammy N: Bress de Lor’ O my soul! Dis a mighty big mussy fo’ us po’ people. De good Lor’ no forget F’nando Poo! He no forsake Him fait’ful chil’ren.
ROE: It is a great joy to us to be here, Mrs. Nicolls. We believe truly that God has sent us. Our hearts burn with desire for the people of Africa, and we come gladly to spend and be spent for you.
[Mr. ROE has an exuberant manner, free gesture, rather rhetorical utterance, but he is very earnest. Mr. BURNETT is quieter, less expressive, speaking in measured voice.]
Mammy N.: Me heart berry full. Lor’ Jesus do so much fo’ me. Me lib ober dey-dey in big country. Me young gall. Bad men come, kill plenty people, take me away fo’ slabe-ship, fo’ sell me fo’ slabe. Me sad, sad, sad too much. Den de good English ship come, bring me here F’nando Poo, make me fo’ go free. Me lub de English fo’ make me free woman. Me plenty glad fo’ see you sarbants o’ Jesus. Praise de Lor’! me be berry good o you - do ebbery-ting fo’ sarbe you. Oh, me no fit lib pass I lub de Lor’, pass I sarbe Him!
[All this very passionately, movingly spoken. Missionaries - to whom this broken English is strange, listen very intently, with puzzled expressions, but trying to look as if they understand. Mrs. ROE really does catch the drift of it.]
Mrs. ROE: So you were actually rescued from slavery! Oh, no wonder you are thankful! We had heard that some who were freed from the slavers were amongst the Lord’s followers here. Was not Mamma Job also brought here in that way?
Mammy N.: Mammy Job, yas’m, t’ank Him name! She dun come here all same like me - she took fo’ slabe-ship.
Mrs. BURNETT: What a fine-looking old lady she is! We have heard a great deal of the good work she has done.
Mammy N.: Yas’m. praise de Lor’! Mammy Job be good, good too much!
ROE [deprecatingly]: Oh, not too much - we won’t say that!
PRINCE [interposing]: Mammy Nicolls mean, suh, she is a very good woman.
Mammy N: Yassah! Plenty good woman - good too much.
ROE [smiling]: Ah, I see! I beg your pardon.
BURNETT: She wants us to have our first meeting in her house to-night, I believe.
PRINCE: Yes, suh. From the time the church has been close’ we have many prayer meetings in Mamma Job’s house. She have much pleasure to think that you preach the Word of God there for the first time after you come.
Mrs. ROE: She is coming here presently, isn’t she? I thought I understood her to say so on the beach.
PRINCE: Yes, ma’am. She went to see a person who is sick, to take the news that you are come. She is coming here on her way for home.
ROE: That is good! [To Mammy N.] And you came to know the Lord through the Baptist missionaries, I suppose Mrs. Nicolls?
Mammy N. [nodding and smiling]: Yassah! Massa Clarke, he dun tell de lub ob Jesus, how He die on de cross fo’ me. Ah, massa, me feel bad too much - no sabby how fo’ do! But Massa Clarke he say, “Trus’ Jesus! Beliebe on Him name! He fit fo’ take all de bad what be inside away, make me heart white.” An’ bress de Lor’, I trus’ Him an’ He dun gib me a new heart. I lib fo’ praise Him, lib fo’ sing, me heart be gladdy too much. Den Massa Clarke say I be baptise’.
ROE [smiling]: That is a splendid testimony, my sister. Praise the Lord for it! [Aside, to wife] One will soon get to understand this quaint speech.
Mrs. BURNETT [to BURNETT]: Dear, do you think I might put Willie to bed? It is very hot, and I think he is tired.
BURNETT: Oh, yes, I’m sure Mrs. Nicolls will be able to oblige us.
PRINCE [who has heard this]: Surely, Mrs. Burnett. Mammy, the little boy very tired. Mrs. Burnett like fo’ make him lie down.
Mammy N. [starting forward]: Ah! de po’ deah li’l chile! [Turning to girls] Rosa! ‘Ria! Go fo’ make fit dat li’l bed! Make you go quick-quick! [To Mrs. B. again, as girls go LEFT.] Come fo’ this side, Missy Bawnett. Me put ‘um fo’ bye-bye, de bressed chile!
[Leads the way through door, LEFT, Mrs. B. following with WILLIE. As they disappear ROE rises and walks about, clasping his hands, etc. Meanwhile several natives have gathered in the doorway, R.]
ROE: Friend Burnett! to think we are actually in Africa! How I have dreamed of this day! What a call is ours! What a work to put our hands to! How I burn to be at it! To hear an African woman’s testimony to the Divine grace! To see Brother Prince here [going and clapping him on the shoulder] a trophy of the Gospel! Do you not rejoice that we have been chosen for such a work?
BURNETT [soberly] I am deeply sensible of the privilege, Friend Roe. I trust we and ours will be given strength to discharge our mission.
ROE [still moving restlessly about, faces natives at door]: Welcome, my friends! We have come to Fernando Poo to give you the good news of the Gospel. We hope soon to have the opportunity of telling the story of Jesus to you. We invite you all to come to Mamma Job’s house to-night to hear what we have to say to you in God’s name. [To B. and Mrs. R.] Let us sing a verse to them! [Strikes up]
“We are marching on with shield and banner bright,” [S.S.H. 226. One verse and chorus.]
[Mammy N. re-enters as the verse is commenced, and beats time to the song with great delight. Mrs. R. and BURNETT stand and join in singing. As chorus concludes, there is a stir at door, RIGHT, and enter Mamma JOB, dressed similarly to Mammy NICOLLS.]
Mamma JOB: Ah, dey you is! [laughs musically] Dis am de Day of Jubilee. Ebberybody glad dat de messengers ob de Gospel dun come to F’nando Poo!
Mammy N: Ah, Bessy! Praise de Lor’! I sabby fo’ true you be plenty glad dis time…
Mammy JOB: Oh, yas [with a sigh of deep content] I t’ank me Fader I lib fo’ see dis day! Oh, massas an’ missy we bin pray long, long time dat de Lor’ send Him sarbants f’ Him work. De harbest be plenteous, it be all white fo’ be gadered in, but oh, dem labor’rs be few! Dis ting be de Lor’s doin’s. He sabby we pray all time, we ax in fait’ beliebin’, so-tee-ee-eh He send dem labor’rs! Ah, we t’ank you, we t’ank you fo’ come!
[Seeing the missionaries somewhat bewildered, PRINCE explains.]
PRINCE: Mammy Job say, God know they go on praying and believing until he send His labourers.
ROE: Indeed, Mrs. Job, God answers prayer, and we are come at His behest to do His will. Your welcome has touched all our hearts, and we are made stronger by the knowledge of your prayers. We know there is much to do, and with God’s help and your continued prayers we are resolved to attempt it, and to win Fernando Poo for Him.
Mamma JOB: Yas, F’nando Poo, yas! And plenty, plenty more place in Africa no sabby de true word about Jesus. [With hands on her breast.] Me Ibo - me took for slabe, all same like Mammy Nicolls. But de English sabe me. Yas, t’ank de Lor’ fo’ de English! Me English subjec’ Massa Roe [very proudly] - me no Spanish! Ober dey-dey [pointing towards window] plenty, plenty me peoples no sabby not’ing ‘bout dere Sabiour. S’pose bime-bye more missionaries come, den dey go fo’ me Ibo people - change dem hearts from bad fashion? Dat be plenty fine t’ing, Massa Bawnett!
BURNETT: We hope truly, Mrs. Job, that the work won’t end here. Nay, if God blesses our work we may even be able to send African evangelists from this Island to your people over yonder.
ROE: We dare set no bounds to God’s purposes. We claim Africa as our heritage in His name!
Mamma JOB: Praise de Heabenly Father for all Him mussies! Now me go ‘bout me doin’s. You all come catch me house fo’ prayer-meetin’ to-night! We muss t’ank de Lor’ good fashion for dem big blessin’s dis day. Good mawnin’ and de Lor’ strenken you!
[They bid her good morning, and she goes, RIGHT. During this last dialogue PRINCE has been talking apart. LEFT, with Mammy N. He now comes across to missionaries.]
PRINCE: I must go too; I have some work to do. I think you will be all right here, dear suhs. Mammy Nicolls will do all she can to make you comfortable. There is three rooms for you yourselves, and I will send you a boy for cook. And you no need to be troubled for food. I will send supply each day.
ROE: Thank you, thank you, brother Prince! We shall never forget your kindness.
BURNETT: It has been a great cheer to us. The Lord reward you, friend!
PRINCE: It is nothing, I am too glad. [To Mammy N.] You lib for take dem Mammy Job’s for prayer-meeting, Mammy?
Mammy N.: Yas, me do dat fo’ sure, Daddy Prince.
PRINCE: Then I go now. Good morning, ma’am! Good morning, suhs! I see you to-night at the meeting.
[They respond, and PRINCE goes, R. Mammy N. follows, making as if to say something further to him. Mrs. ROE goes to find Mrs. BURNETT, through door LEFT.]
ROE: Surely God has met us here! The work is His; His presence is with us. O for grace to labour for Him!
[Quotes]
“I would the precious time redeem,
And longer live for this alone,
To spend, and to be spent for them
Who have not yet my Saviour known;
Fully on these my mission prove,
And only breathe to breathe Thy love.
The United Methodist Hymnal #650
BURNETT [continuing]
Enlarge, inflame and fill my heart
With boundless charity divine!
So shall I all my strength exert,
And love them with a love like Thine;
And lead them to Thy open side,
The sheep for who their shepherd died.”
[They clasp hands.]
CURTAIN.
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