1910 ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT ESSAY DETAILING THE DIFFICULTIES OF CHRISTIAN OUTREACH IN THE CONGO AFRICA

On offer is an interesting c.1910 manuscript précis handwritten by an unknown missionary titled "Trying Features of Work in Africa". The author begins: "The great difficulty which confronts the missionary in going to the Congo is the climate". The author elaborates and discusses paganism and degradation, pneumonia among the natives, the importance of the pith helmet as sun guard ("a few moments bareheaded would surely be followed by sunstroke. Missionaries who are extremely careful in this regard have been known to have been taken down with fever, and have died in a few days from the thoughtless exposure of the bare head to the sun"), malaria and "the sleeping sickness." [We date the manuscript by the author writing: "scientific investigations have proved beyond a doubt that malaria is caused by mosquitoes or by a certain species of mosquito." Ronald Ross received the Nobel Prize in 1902 for his work on malaria, having proved transmission to be by mosquitoes in 1898 thusly we suggest the essay can be no earlier than 1900, and assuredly no later than 1920.] "One of the chief necessities for health on the Congo is suitable food, which can not be procured in the country. Consequently food supplies are ordered from England and America all hermetically sealed in tin." "The depth of paganism, the trying climate, the sleeping sickness so deadly to the natives, the rum traffic - all are trying features of the work in Africa...." Complete in four numbered leaves measuring 10.25 x 8 inches, horizontal crease at centre, some chipping and slightly fragile. Overall G.