Page 161 - The Diary of A. H. W. Behrens

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1888 – 1889
I set up a contract that Director Harms signed and in terms of which the Mission got a certain percentage but had no risk or costs. I entered into a credit agreement with Beckett & Co. Pretoria, a shop was built in Bethanie, goods were ordered, and August became a merchant, but still continued living on father’s farm Waaikraal and worked the land. I did his books and correspondence against remuneration. This shop was the foundation for the existence of cousin August and his family. Trade with blacks and whites was doing well and Beckett faithfully gave support. The Mission earned a total of about
₤ 1500 and more from the percentage for as long as cousin August had the shop. I had the post agency since 1892 and whoever fetched his post also bought something from August. He became a man and wealthy through his shop.
1890
As stated above, I did my mission work among the black heathens by horse for 9 years. More and more came for baptism classes in Bethanie so that I always had full baptism classes until 1890 and small congregations were formed. Sundays the church in Bethanie was very full and a bigger church was needed – as we and Chief Jakobus saw. He called together all the people in Bethanie and the vicinity and told them, “You are now a big congregation here already, the baptism school is full of learners and it will come the time where