THIS interesting account of travels in West Central Africa throws a lurid light upon the lives and methods of Government officials and traders. The Congo is not the only part of the Dark Continent where unspeakable horrors abound. Everybody who has traveled in those parts of the world where a few white traders settle amongst savage races for the sake of gain is fully aware that the picture is not overdrawn. Many a time have we heard in such places the missionaries sorrowfully bemoan the deadly hindrance to their work that is found in the lives of the traders, who, as a rule, are characterized by heartless cruelty, disgusting immorality, and insatiable greed.
Mr. Nevinson exposes all this unsparingly, so that we do not wonder when we read that “nearly all travelers and traders in Africa” have nothing good to say of missionaries and their work.
Of course, there are missionaries and missionaries, but we are pleased to read Mr. Nevinson’s testimony as to the bulk of those he has met in Africa, that they still believe and teach the Old Testament as inspired of God. Mr. Nevinson has lost all faith in this, unfortunately for himself; but it is a little strong to say that “no one believes” the Old Testament histories! Here Mr. N— speaks terribly at random when he sweeps Genesis away as “no truer than the natives’ own myths”! We quite agree that the natives have a hard problem to reconcile the Christian ideal as taught by the missionary, and the cruelty, deceit, greed for money, and traffic in human beings carried on by professed Christian nations. His chapter on “Savages and Missions” is full of unconscious testimony to the real power of the Word of God in the lives of the noble men and women who labor amongst these savage races, and the effect of such lives upon the native mind. Mr. N — wondered as he beheld a crowd of blacks singing with their whole hearts, and faces aglow with joy,
“Jesus really loves me,
His blood will wash my black heart white.”
We felt not only wonder but thrills of joy and praise to God when some years ago we found ourselves in a meeting of Fijian converts, and heard men but recently cannibals singing,
“Jesus loves me, this I know.”
Mr. N — wonders how long their teaching would survive if “the missionaries were suddenly removed in a body.” He gives them fifty years! But the same question might be asked with reference to England. If every truly converted person were suddenly removed from England, the departure from even nominal belief would be appallingly rapid. This will take place at the coming of the Lord; the complete apostasy will take very much less than fifty years to develop.
As most of our readers may have little knowledge of what is being done by others in those parts, we append the following:
“As to the scandals and sneers of traders, officials, and gold prospectors against the missions, let us pass them by. They are only the weary old language of ‘the world.’ They are like the sneers of butchers and publicans at astronomy. They are the tribute of the enemy, the assurance that all is not in vain. It would be unreasonable to expect anything else, and dangerous to receive it. The only thing that makes me hesitate about the work of the order (R.C.) is that many traders and officials have said to me, ‘The Catholic missions are at all events practical; they do teach the natives carpentering and wagon building, and how to dig.’ It is perfectly true and admirable, and, as a matter of fact, the other missions do the same. But a mission might teach its followers to make wagons enough for a Boer’s paradise, and doors enough for all the huts in Africa, and still have failed of its purpose.
“Besides the Order of the Holy Spirit (R.C.), there are two other notable orders at work in Angola― the American Mission (Congregationalist) under the ‘American Board,’ and the English Mission (Plymouth Brethren) under Divine direction only. Each mission has four stations, and each is about to start a new one.... All are on terms of singular friendship, helping one another in every possible way, almost like the followers of Christ. Of all sects that I have ever known, these are the only two that I have heard pray for each other, and that without condemnation―I mean they pray in a different spirit from the Anglican prayer for Jews, Turks, infidels, and heretics.”
We are glad of the testimony of an unbiassed man of the world, an unbeliever to boot, as to the difference between the R.C. and the simple Scriptural teaching of the gospel in the lives of both missionaries and their converts. Let us pray earnestly for these brethren and sisters amidst the dangers from climate and murder to which they are constantly exposed.
ED.