Major John J. Hill, F.R.C.I.

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Major John J. Hill, F. R. C. I. AFRICAN EXPLORER WORLD TRAVELER LECTURER



FEB 7




MAJOR JOHN J. HILL



W
ALKING the length of the African continent, more than six thousand miles, and occupying eight and a half years of his allotted span of life in the undertaking, was the feat accomplished by Major John J. Hill, who speaks on Africa, its flora, fauna, natives, its industries, pygmies, cannibals, giants, witch doctors, ancient ruins, and the hunting of wild animals of the jungle.




Mr. Hill, while accomplishing the feat of traversing more than six thousand miles of African jungles, swamp and desert on foot, was engaged in location work for the Cape to Cairo Railroad.  It was his duty to proceed in advance of the tracklayers and interview the chieftains of the various native tribes to secure their approval of the project.




For two and a half years he was away from all white people, and during this time he made his home with the natives, and studied closely their living habits and characteristics.





WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT MAJOR HILL



FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH—White Bear.




To Whom it May Concern:  Mr. John J. Hill delivered a lecture or travel talk on Africa last winter at the local theatre, which was both entertaining and instructive, and met with a most cordial reception from the large audience present.  Speaking from personal knowledge of the great Continent, based upon his long residence there, the speaker created a personal interest in the men who have been the 
Makers of Africa
 in the past decades.  Listening to him as he talks of that far away region, we realize to some extent the dream of Cecil Rhodes and other great pioneers.  We see the Cape to Cairo Railway slowly reaching across the wilderness; we stand in awe before the unlimited riches of Kimberley; learn something of the inner workings of the mind of the 
Witch Doctors;
 glimpse the beauty of the great rivers and the vast forests; marvel at the growth of the cities and the expansion of industries.  Mr. Hill speaks in a conversational tone with no attempt at oratory and holds the attention of his hearers from start to finish.  His 
stuff
 is all original and for that reason is a delightful relief after hearing so many 
canned
 lectures and travel talks from men who have gathered their facts from books and the efforts of others.  Mr. Hill's lectures, in my judgment, should prove of real value to the people of America where so little is really known about the 
Dark Continent.




Sincerely,
Clair B. Latimer, Pastor.


Sept. 21, 1925.




STATE OF MINNESOTA Department of Education




My dear Major Hill:  I wish to take this occasion to express my own appreciation, as well as that of the men and boys of our church, for your most interesting and instructive lecture on your travels and explorations in Africa.



Everybody was delighted.  It was an unusual and unique lecture springing as it did from intimate personal experiences and knowledge that can be obtained only by years of travel and explorations, and punctuated with sufficient quiet humor to add a little spice which is always enjoyable.




You gave us an evening of real enjoyment and education entirely out of the commonplace, and I hope that we may have the privilege of having you with us again.



Lecture was so much enjoyed by the children of the High School that some of them said to me 
I wished he would have talked still longer than the hour.
  Mr. Hill spoke at our church on the 
Palestine of Today
 and his lecture was listened to with intense interest by the entire congregation.  Surely, no one who has heard Mr. Hill will ever forget his stimulating lectures.
—Chas. J. Schoufuss, Congregational Church, Hopkins, Minnesota.



Mr. Hill has a rich background of experience for an address of this kind in that he spent 12 years on the continent of Africa.  There is a personal touch in the manner of delivery that holds the interest of the audience.  I gladly recommend this lecture to anyone desirous of first-hand information of a geographical nature concerning the 
dark continent.
—F. E. Heinenman, Superintendent of Wayzata Schools.



Owing to lack of space it has been necessary to omit press mentions, volumes of which are in Mr. Hill's possession.  Suffice it to say, however, he has the unqualified endorsement of the press everywhere.