Western Nigeria, — Past, — Present, — And Future
Nigeria is a great country of possibly 57 million people. It is now divided into 4 regions and a federal district. The Northern Region is made up mostly of people of the Moslem religion. Not much work has been done in that region as far as preaching the gospel is concerned. The other regions, the Western, Eastern, and Midwestern, along with the federal district of Lagos, have had quite a bit of gospel preaching. The Western and Midwestern regions are divided from the Eastern by the great Niger River. Up until this year, crossing of this river had to be done by a time consuming ferry, but now a high level bridge has been completed. The work in Nigeria was first started in the Eastern Region in the early 50's. In the years since then it has spread like wildfire throughout three regions and the federal capital.
Past History In 1959, Leslie Diestelkamp entered Nigeria to work in the Eastern Region. After about four months there he took with him some Nigerian brethren and set out on the 500 mile journey by road to the capital city of Lagos. Upon arriving there in December 1959, he began to preach the gospel on the streets and establish congregations. He was the only white man in the area for about ten months, after which time he was joined by Sewell Hall who had previously done two years work in the Eastern Region.
During the stay of Sewell Hall, Bill Hall, his brother, came over to work with the brethren for six months. By this time Aude McKee had joined Hall, and Diestelkamp had returned home. So, for about six months, three men were working together in the preaching of the gospel in the West, Midwest, and Federal District. The Halls returned home and Paul Earnhart joined McKee. McKee came home and George Pennock joined Earnhart. Earnhart decided to stay ten months longer than scheduled and he and Pennock were joined in the work by the Jim Sasser family. Both Earnharts and Pennocks left in the spring of 1965. Sasser was joined by Robert E. Speer in June of 65. Sasser came home in summer of 1966 and Speer was joined by James L. Gay and Leslie Diestelkamp. So, at present we have three men working together in the area.
Much has been accomplished during the past six years in the West, Midwest and Federal District. About 45 congregations have been started. No, we have not started any hospitals using church funds because we believe it to be unscriptural. Neither have we started schools to teach secular subjects using church funds; we also believe this to be unscriptural. But, of course, we have done much teaching and preaching according to the scriptures.
Present Work
The three men that are over there right now are working very hard to strengthen the Nigerian brethren to the point that they can carry on the work without the aid of outside brethren. That has been the hope and desire right along. Extensive training classes are being held among the preaching brethren especially. The congregations are being taught to follow the pattern in all things, in the plan of salvation, in the worship, in organization, in work. With three men there at this time they are able to cover the vast area of work much better than the two that have been there most of the time previously. Brethren, you cannot fully realize the great need for three men in the field at one time unless you have been there and have had to try to cover the great distances to and fro trying to carry on with the much needed work.
Future Hopes
First of all, we hope to keep three men in the field at all times. To accomplish this, a man must right now begin to prepare to go. Speer will be coming home in July of 1967 and must be replaced. In order for a man to take his place, the man must begin to prepare immediately. Who will go and who will send? I will be most happy to be of any assistance possible in helping to prepare a man to go. Individuals and congregations that are interested in this great work of preaching the gospel to this young receptive nation need to put forth effort now to find a man to go and to furnish the financial needs that he may have. If there are any that are interested in going or in sending I would like to hear from you. I might be of help in that I am the last one to have returned from the area. Feel free to call on me. My address is: 630 East Ash Place, Griffith, Indiana 46319. Phone 923-3819 or 923-2565. I have slides of the work that I can show to any interested individual or congregation. We are not desirous of being a perpetual teacher or succorer of our black brethren but we are desirous of teaching them to the end that they may themselves carry on the work. We have been able to accomplish this in many congregations already. Some congregations over there have, themselves, started other congregations. I consider that good, seeing that most of them are less than five years old.
Seeing the present trend in the Eastern Region among the white brethren causes me to say that now, more than ever, we need to keep three men, yea even four, in the West, Midwest and Lagos at all times. Having labored long and hard to establish congregations after the sacred order we cannot afford to give up now and let man-made innovations enter in not sparing the flock. In order to do this, we must all work together, Brethren, come to the aid of this great work in any way possible. Preachers, won't you go? Congregations, won't you send? The ones that will go and the ones that will send need to get together right now. Preparations take some months; therefore, work must begin right now to replace Speer in June or July of next year, 1967. Let me hear from you. I will write more later about the customs of the people and about the activities and happenings that we engage in while in that land.
-630 East Ash Place, Griffith, Indiana 46319