The book is “a memorial to the service and devotion of Robert Ray Eldred and Lillian Byers Eldred,” Disciples of Christ missionaries to the Congo of Africa from 1902 to 1913. Both were to die on the mission field; Lillian first in 1912, due to sickness, followed by Ray's tragic drowning in 1913.

The book provides a non-critical narrative of the reasons for the Eldreds' choosing the mission field, events leading up to their departure, mission work itself, and successes they enjoyed for the cause of Christ. The Congo mission was to become one of the largest of the Disciples of Christ church.

Archibald McLean, Secretary of the Foreign Christian Missionary Society (then an organization under the auspices of the Disciples of Christ church), wrote a brief Introduction to the book.

Persons who are interested in learning about the work of persons of the Stone-Campbell religious heritage, such as I, should find the book to be informative and inspirational.

The book is enhanced by the inclusion of several photos and a map of the mission field. There is no index. My copy is a first edition. ( )