Oak Street UNCLASSIFIED WJ /S^3r^/rv]J NPp AAX >g5 V^w3 $i§ I ' MORIJA. THE SWITZERLAND OF SOUTH AFRICA. AN ACCOUNT OF GOSPEL WORK IN THE LAND OF THE BASUTO. 1893 . PRINTED BY JOSEPH THOMPSON, 6 7b, TURNMILE STREET, LONDON, E.C. $r, //. LaJoJ- dU INTRODUCTION BY THE Committee of the Paris Evangelical Missionary Society. HE Paris Missionary Society desire to recommend to their brethren in England and in Scotland the Rev. R. Henry Dyke, who will endeavour to increase the interest taken by Christian people in missionary work in Basutoland. That work was begun about sixty years ago, and we have never thought of giving it up, although no national ties unite our French Churches with the Basuto tribe. But, guided by the Lord and by circumstances, we have been induced to undertake missionary work on the Upper Zambesi, in the French Congo State, in Senegal, in Algeria, and in the South Seas ; so that we are obliged to ask our British brethren to help us to carry on the work in Basutoland, which has a special tTk? claim upon their interest With this view the Revs. G. Appia, A. Boegner, and F. H. Kruger, have during the last year visited England and Scotland, in order to establish auxiliary committees in London, Edinburgh, and Glasgow, according to the views of the late Major Malan, who was himself an honorary member of our Society. VI 3jtttro£mctx0tt. Mr. Henry Dyke is especially well qualified to represent in England and Scotland our Basutoland Mission. He was born in Africa, and is the son of an English missionary, formerly in the service of that work. We hope that he will receive a hearty welcome on the part of our friends. May the Lord bless his efforts ! On behalf of the Paris Missionary Society, JULES DE SEYNES, President. A. BoEGNER y Secretary. Paris, 21st July , 1893. Dear Friends, In presenting this little book to you, I desire to convey my hearty thanks to those friends of our Basutoland Mission residing in England and Scotland, who have not only cheered us by their good wishes and prayers, but have also substantially aided us with subscriptions. These have been applied solely and .entirely to evangelistic work — not a penny of the money subscribed being devoted to any other object. It is my hope that this pamphlet may be the means of introducing our Mission work among the heathen to a wider circle of supporters than we at present possess. It will tell its own story of labours and waiting ; of trials and successes. May God grant that, as a result, many Christian sympathisers may feel the pressing needs of Basutoland laid heavily on their hearts ! Your fellow-labourer for the Master, 50, Sardinia Terrace, Glasgow, 12th August , 1893. R. HENRY DYKE. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Morija ... ... ... ... ... ... Frontispiece. PAGE A Mosuto on Ox-back ... ... ... ... ... 2 A Musical Mosuto Woman... ... ... ... ... 5 Our First Ordained Minister ... ... ... ... 6 An Out-station ... ... ... ... ... ... 8 Making Grain Baskets ... ... ... ... ... 10 Morija Training Institution ... ... ... ... 13 The New Building, Morija Training Institution ... 15 The Bible School, Morija 16 Morija Training Institution First Class Boys ... 17 The Theological Hall ... ... ... ... ... 18 Thaba Basigo, Girls... ... ... ... ... ... 19 Some of the Publications of the Morija Press ... 21 Rev. C. Motebang and Family ... ... ... ... 24 Grinding and Winnowing ... ... ... ... ... 27 Litaola or Divining-bones ... ... ... ... ... 29 A Mountain Hamlet... ... ... ... ... ... 31 Ready for a Journey ... ... ... ... ... 36 Crossing a River ... ... ... ... ... ... 38 In Distress ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 40 To the Rescue ... ... ... ... ... ... 43 A Missionary Family at the Outspan ... ... ... 45 ®hat is tbc ^asitlolanlr HUssion ? I F you look at a map of South Africa, you may notice a small tract of land, bounded on the west and north by the Orange A Free State, with Natal on its east, whilst Cape Colony just touches its border on the south. This is Basutoland ; a well-watered country, very largely cultivated, and affording excellent grazing ground to the very numerous herds of cattle owned by the natives. With its plateaus and gorges, its high mountains, whence the Vaal Caledon and Orange rivers flow towards the Atlantic Ocean, and the waters of the Tugela to the Indian Ocean, Basutoland deserves the name of “ the Switzerland of South Africa,” that many travellers, after experiencing the dull plains of the Free State and Cape Colony, have bestowed upon it. Since 1869 it has been placed under the authority of the British Government as a Crown Colony, that Government having rescued it from the Free State Boers, who were about to expel the Basutos from the land of their fathers. Having thus saved the Basutos, the British Government has now to protect them against the folly of their chiefs, especially in preventing those feuds which put the property of the nation in jeopardy. Still a Ibeatben %ant>. Beautiful as the physical features of Basutoland may be, it is still a heathen country. Its native population, numbering about a quarter of a million, see the works of God displayed before their eyes, yet trust in the things created rather than the Creator (Romans ii.). In other countries are found false gods, temples, altars, and priests. Nothing of the kind exists among the Basutos : their religion is of a low type. Ancestral worship only is known to them ; and this is practised more especially in times of war, national disaster, family A MOSUTO ON OX-BACK. 3 (Sospel Work itt tfje ¥attk of tlje JBasutc. sickness, or drought. In cases of sickness the witch-doctor is generally called in. By the use of divining bones and various incantations he traces the misfortune to the ill-will or anger of an ancestor whom he declares must be propitiated with sacrifice. In most cases an animal is slaughtered ; the patient smeared with the fat taken out of the body of the victim ; half-digested food is taken from its stomach, and is offered to the god by being dashed over his grave, whilst the offended ancestor is supplicated with the words : “ Sleep peaceably in thy grave ” — which simply amounts to saying : “ Leave us alone, and do not worry about our business.” In times of drought the rain-makers, or doctors, are called to a great hunt instituted by order of the chief. An antelope must be caught alive or be shot, and the half-digested grass is taken from its paunch. A long ceremony takes place, the malevolent spirit being invoked with words of praise and submission, and by casting the grass upon the face of some mountain lake. Superstitions. Superstitions, numerous and ridiculous, reign without a rival in the hearts of the people. Born in an atmosphere of superstition, accustomed to its teachings during their impressionable youth, it claims in their manhood entire sway over them until the day of their death. Witchcraft is deeply rooted in their minds, the wretched heathen living in constant fear of the bad practices of enemies and rivals. The witch-doctor provides them with pegs covered with “ medicine,” with which to surround their villages to protect them from persons of evil disposition. For the same reason, every house is crowned with medicine sticks ; and to protect their fields from the hailstones which recur every year, on the mountain-tops are to be found sticks covered with medicine by the witch-doctor. In short, considering how the Basuto heathen live, there is no better way of describing them than by saying they are materialists. Their ma- terialism is not that of the thinking materialist who has constructed a theory with more or less scientific arguments, but that materialism which cares for nothing but the gratification of the flesh, and which never goes beyond questions of food and drink, earthly riches and carnal pleasures — which says : “ Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die.” 4 ®ljc Jsiiut^erlanft of Africa. But IRcccptive. It must not be supposed that, although this appalling heathenism exists among the Basuto, they are quite devoid of the finer and higher qualities which have raised the European to his present standard. The Basuto are not without the means of developing these higher traits and being brought to know the Gospel truth. Mission work is extensively organized among them, and, notwithstanding many obstacles and much opposition, has already achieved a large measure of success, for which the Lord be praised. providential ^Leadings. Most providential was the manner in which our Mission was started among the Basuto. The Great Husbandman guided the first missionaries of the Paris Evangelical Mission Society, and brought them into this corner of His vineyard — then as unknown to Europe as the Upper Congo was twenty years ago. Who better can tell the story than the man whom the Lord used to carry out His plans with regard to Basutoland ? This man, by name Adam Krotz, was a professional hunter, of Dutch descent, residing at Philippolis. His favourite sport had caused him to travel over the large tracts of desert land that are now the Orange Free State. Mr. Eugene Casalis says : “ Having learned of our arrival at Philip- polis, he (Adam Krotz) came to see us, and told us the following story : ‘ While I was carrying on my hunting at a place eight days’ journey from here, a chief sent two men to beg me to visit him. I took with me as interpreter one of the natives of the country whom I had received on my farm. He conducted me to a mountain where this chief had fixed his residence, and who was for this reason called the Mountain Chief. His true name was Moshesh, son of Mokhatchane. He told me that for several years past he had been the victim of incessant attacks, by which three-quarters of his subjects had been destroyed or dispersed. He had asked me there to know if I could give him any good advice — if I could show him any means of securing peace for the country. I thought at once of the missionaries. I spoke to him about Moffat and about our own people. I tried to make him understand the services which such men could render him. The idea of having near him per- manently wise men, friends of peace, disposed to do all in their A MUSICAL MOSUTO WOMAN. 6 flHjc ^hrif^erlattir of J^outlj Jlfrtra. power to aid him in his distress, pleased him greatly. He wanted to have some at once. “ Do you know any,” he said to me, “ who would be disposed to come ? ” I replied that sometimes such men came our way. “ Oh, I beseech you, tell the first you meet to hasten here. I will give them the best possible welcome. I will do everything they advise me to do.” I promised him not to forget his prayer. Shortly after my return home I found that he, in doubt whether I should have the means of fulfilling my promise, had sent me 200 head of cattle, in order that I might procure him in exchange at least one missionary. But they had been intercepted and captured en route by the Koranas.’ ” MAKING GRAIN BASKETS. 9 C§aspd Mark in tljc yank of tlje |8asitto. £b c ©ntcome. Now, as the result of the Mission started by Messrs. Casalis, Arbousset, and Gossellin in 1833, we have, to-day, after sixty-three years of toil and prayer, in our Basutoland Mission twenty-one missionaries connected with the Paris Evangelical Mission Society, carrying out the duties of their avocation on seventeen stations, helped by their wives and other members of their families, who, by themselves, constitute a most important factor in the band of labourers. taint?. Though our Society is essentially French, with its head-quarters in Paris, and depending mostly on the support of Christians belong- to the French-speaking nations, yet among their workers you may find, besides the French element, representatives of the Alsatian, the Swiss, the Italian, and the English nationalities, whilst others are the children or grandchildren of the pioneer missionaries to Basuto- land, and labour for their Master in the country in which they were born. The same catholicity exists in matters religious. Some hail from the Reformed (Established) Church of France ; others are Lutherans ; others, again, belong to Free, or Independent, Churches. All work with that unity of heart for which the Lord Jesus prayed (John xvii. 21), for the one great cause of Christianizing the heathen. Free Evangelical re-union is the leading principle of our missionary body. Although coming from different lands and from different denominations, all have put their hands to the same plough, and not once has the progress of the work been arrested or encumbered by sectarian misunderstandings or troubles. flDeans nseb for Evangelising tbe Basil to. To reach the masses of thousands of heathen is a problem that may well puzzle the minds of missionaries and cause them much trouble and anxiety. Good-will and zeal on their part are, of course, of the utmost importance, but do not obviate the necessity for method and organization. Some details about the methods adopted in Basutoland may be of interest to many who desire to follow closely the management of a mission. B io Cl )t of ^outlj Afrira. flIMsston Station. First, there is the Mission Station itself, where the missionary family resides. It is usually established in the centre of a district where from 10,000 to 20,000 heathen are settled. In the station resides the missionary, who is under God the leading spirit of the work, and on whom rests the heavy responsibility of organizing the evangelization of the heathen, of attending to the spiritual wants of the Christians, of establishing out-stations and schools, of providing for the buildings required, and of collecting the necessary funds for maintaining an increasingly extensive work. Of these stations there are, as has been mentioned, seventeen. AN OUT-STATION. ©notations. In addition, there are 126 out-stations, spread all over the country, each of them under the care of a Mosuto Christian, called an Evangelist or Catechist, especially trained for the work of evangel- izing the heathen and feeding the converted ones with the Bread of Life. Many contrasts exist among the out-stations. Some of them are large, having a membership of 250 communicants or more. Others, again, are small; it may be that the only Christians connected with the church belong to the family of the evangelist. He lives in a small straw hut and he holds his Gospel services in the open air. Around him exists only the darkness of heathenism. New ground it (Gospel Work ttt tljc of tljc $3aauto. n is that he is breaking up, and the seed of the Word he sows with the sweat of his brow. He sees no results, yet in his loneliness faith, hope, and charity sustain him. One convert for the faithful man is a source of joy and gratitude, and makes the horizon of his ministry gleam bright with the assurance of the power of the Spirit of God in his preaching, and whispers a hope that the Sun of Righteousness will one day rise to dispel all the surrounding darkness. 3>a\>=5cbool5. Each out-station has a day-school, which heathen children are encouraged to attend whether their parents are favourable to the Gospel or not. Siitnvitmal Effort. From every station or out-station may be seen, every Sunday little bands of Christian men or women betaking themselves to the villages around to preach the Gospel to those men and women who are not attracted to the mission station. Many of these volunteers are prompted by a sincere love for their Saviour, and for their heathen fellow-men. Others have been taught by their missionary that it is their duty to evangelize the heathen by preaching the Gospel to them. None of them expect or receive any human reward for their work. What they haye received freely, they give freely again. They are satisfied with bringing the true Light to those who sit in darkness, the purest recompense a Christian can receive. Each Lord’s Day morning will see them going out, a band of men, or, often, two or three women of experience and some girls. All do not speak, but all can sing. The singing serves as a substitute for a church bell and attracts an audience in the open air. Before reach- ing the village, in some retired spot, they have already gone down on their knees to ask God for a blessing on their words. They do not depend on the singing alone for an audience, but travel from hut to hut inviting the natives to their meeting. Some heathen come willingly and with pleasure. Others are reluctant, and many refuse to leave the home work (for, now, all field labour is suspended on the Sabbath) they have in hand. Naked children play about. Women all smeared with red clay squat on the ground with their brown faces more or less disfigured by tattoo marks. Hymns are @£lje j$kritp>rlanti of Jlontlj ^frira. 12 sung, and a simple explanation of a Gospel story or a personal testimony is given by one of the evangelizing Christian natives. Prayer is offered by another. Then follows some talk about what has been just said, and heart-searching questions put to the heathen audience. This done, leave is taken, and the good people direct their steps towards another village. What results have been obtained ? Who knows ? God knows, and will show by-and-bye. Plain as may be the evangelizing Christian, and plain as may be his testimony, he is the principal agent for evangelizing the heathen, and he, and he alone, can accomplish what is the aim of every mission work, viz., to place the Gospel within the reach of each heathen and to have it regularly preached in every village or hamlet in the country. This is a rough sketch of one feature of Mission work in Basutoland. ©tber means. Other means are employed for spreading the Light. We attach great importance to educational work, as a means of drawing towards the Saviour the youth of the country. Superstition and sin are mainly begotten by ignorance. Besides the preaching of the Gospel, there is no more effectual means of dissipating superstitious belief than education and instruction. As light destroys darkness, instruction dispels heathenism. Knowing this, many heathen positively refuse to send their children to school, saying : If they are taught they will become Christians, and then how shall we be able to educate them into our national customs ? Heathen children, therefore, as well as Christian children, must be educated if heathenism is to be rooted out of the country. Our schools, the principal aim of which is to bring children to the Lord, are the means of preparing and facilitating the conversion of many. after man\> \>ears. The seed may remain a long time in the ground without showing signs of germination, but work done in the name of the Lord is not useless work, as may be proved by the following instance. At an after- meeting held by the writer, a young woman of some twenty-five years of age, much distressed, told her story. As a girl, she had MORIJA TRAINING INSTITUTION (SctEpd Mork tn tkc Ifantr of tlje ^aauto. 15 lived with a Christian aunt and had attended the school in the Hermon district. At the age of fourteen or fifteen she was taken from the school by her heathen father, and initiated into the rites necessary prior to being sold for cattle to a heathen husband. Poor Annie tried to keep up her attendance at the church services, but her husband objected, using force and imprisonment, until, the Mission holding some special meetings four miles from their village, he was induced to allow her to attend. Here, ten years after the conclusion of her school life, she made public confession of her faith, and, on returning to her home, influence was brought to bear on her husband, liberty was granted to her, and she was allowed by him to join a Christian church. m>an of tbc jeiblc. A Christian is essentially a man of the Bible. No Christian has attained his spiritual manhood until he is able to feed his faith him- self, by coming to the original source, the Bible. It is, therefore, our desire that every native should be able to read God’s Word (the whole of which has been translated into Sesuto by the French missionaries). For people coming into the church at an advanced age it is impossible to learn to read, but the young people coming out of heathenism can and must learn to do so. More schools should be established in order to open before the believers the gates of Bible knowledge. framing Workers. The necessity here arises for training teachers competent to give instruction. Was not this the burning wish of Mackay of Uganda, when he asked that no time should be lost in founding institutions similar to Lovedale ? The Paris Mission has long recognised the necessity of this department of its work. flDonja. Therefore the Training Institution of Morija was first opened twenty-four years ago by Messrs. Mabille and H. M. Dyke. Its object is first to prepare young men for the work of school teaching, and, secondly, to raise the moral, intellectual, and spiritual level of the tribe by educating young chiefs or by enabling intelligent young 1 6 OHjc ^imt^crlanfr of Africa. men to occupy useful positions as Government clerks and inter- preters, clerks in shops, printers, &c. From small beginnings it has grown until now we have ioo young men (all boarders) under training. Many more would have been admitted had we accommodation. Admission is made by a competitive examination, and such is the anxiety and capacity of Basuto for advanced education that every year a great number of candidates have to be sent back, not on account of deficiency in learning, but for want of room to accom- modate them. In November, 1892, twenty-two were for this cause refused. How sad it was to see the sorrowful faces of the poor lads who had worked hard for the entrance examination and against whom we were obliged to shut our doors ! “ IHo belp for it ! ” In answer to a communication addressed to Sir Marshal Clarke (H. M. Resident Commissioner in Basutoland), he says, under date December 13th, 1892 : — “The number of candidates at your admission examination shows an appreciation on the part of the Basuto of the educational advantages offered at Morija. I can quite understand your reluc- tance to refuse admission, owing to your want of accommodation and means, to some of those who qualified, but there seems no help for it.” Although there seemed “ no help ” for it, we felt help must come from some source, and our help has come from the Lord. We have erected a dormitory large enough to lodge sixty young men. The greater part of the funds have been sent us, but ^150 is still required to complete the sum expended upon this much needed building. Will not one of the Lord’s stewards set aside this sum towards the extension of the Morija Institution, and will not other friends come to our help and provide another ^600 for new class rooms? Those in use at the present time were only destined for fifty pupils, so that with 100 we are quite overcrowded. Some IResults. Should it be asked what stand the Morija Institute takes, com- pared with other schools in the Cape Colony, we can refer to the results^of the Government Teachers’ examination in 1892, when MORIJA TRAINING INSTITUTION FIRST CLASS BOYS. NEW BUILDING, MORIJA TRAINING INSTITUTION. (Sflspel Work in tkc $attb of tijc gasuto. 21 we find that a Morija boy, competing with the Europeans and Kafirs of the whole of South Africa, stood twenty-third on the pass list, the next native on the roll standing fifty-fourth. It is no small gratification to the teachers at Morija to find that out of ninety-five schools and institutions in the Cape Colony, European and Native, which entered this examination, only two passed more pupils than Morija ; and in this connection — not to praise ourselves, but to show our friends what others think of the work — we may be allowed to quote the words of Sir Marshal Clarke again, who said : — “ I am most pleased to learn of the success achieved by your Institution at the Teachers’ Examination. The result appears to me as gratifying as it is well-deserved.” It may further be mentioned that, according to carefully-prepared statistics, forty-five per cent, of the young men who have passed through the Morija Training Institution during the twenty-four years of its existence, are at the present time engaged in direct missionary work as ministers, evangelists, or school teachers, some of them in the dark regions of Africa, hundreds of miles from Basutoland. Bible School. Then, again, we have what we call the Bible School, founded by the Rev. A. Mabille, to prepare Christian Basutos for the career of evangelists ; and which has an average of fifty boarders attending, 22 Sljc j^tott^erlattir of j^outlj Africa. some of them coming from the Orange Free State or the Transvaal, and going back to their native land well qualified for attending to the spiritual wants of Christian natives, and for evangelizing the heathen. Gbcologtcnl Granting. The Theological School must also be mentioned where natives are trained for the ministry. This, the latest development of the work at Morija, was commenced (1882) with much care and prayer; the establishment of a native ministry being, for many reasons, the necessary crowning to every mission to the heathen. The first three students are now ordained, and do a very good work in the districts entrusted to their care ; and five more are under preparation. Gbaba Bosigo. We must also mention the Girls 5 Industrial School at Thaba Bosigo, with thirty-five pupils, its object being to elevate the standing of woman in the tribe by showing the Basuto what a young girl may become when properly trained. Many of these girls become later on helpmates of catechists or of school teachers. But how few are those thirty-five privileged girls compared with thousands who cannot obtain a Christian training, just because the means are not THABA BOSIGO, GIRLS. 2 5 (Gospel Work in tlje Sfotttr of tlje fBasitto. forthcoming for enlarging our institutions and receiving more boarders ! Here again we ask : Will anyone help us ? ^300 is needed for a new building. Will the ladies of Scotland not come to our help in this special effort ? Heloaleng. Besides the above-mentioned institutions, we have another at a place called Leloaleng. It is the Young Men’s Industrial School, where thirty-three Basuto learn the trades of mason, carpenter, or blacksmith. An industrial training is an excellent thing for the Basuto. Is it not the duty of every Christian to earn his bread by honest manual labour ? This is what we desire to teach them to do at Leloaleng. The Industrial School is under the direction of Mr. J. Preen. printing Establishment. Further, it may interest our readers to know that there exists at Morija a printing establishment and book depot, which yearly issues thousands of school and church books, and which provides hundreds of natives in Cape Colony, Natal, the Orange Free State, the Trans- vaal, Bechuanaland, Delagoa Bay, Griqualand West, and even Mashonaland, with Bibles and New Testaments, hymn-books, and many other religious and school books, all published in the language of the Basuto, as well as a fortnightly newspaper, which the natives themselves largely support by money and literary contributions. Let it be noticed, in this connection, that our Mission, by providing other Missions with books, evangelists, and school teachers, has a very direct influence on many parts of South Africa, and holds, in this respect, a position the importance of which cannot be over- rated. jflrsMnnts. After the first missionaries had settled in Basutoland, in June, 1833, they laboured over two years and a half without seeing any fruit of their work until, writes Mr. Eugene Casalis, “ On the 9th January, 1836, we overheard one of our young men at Morija spontaneously offering a fervent prayer. It was towards nine in the evening, at a little distance from our house. Thinking we heard the accents of contrition, we approached in the darkness without uttering a word. It was really so ! Astonished, moved beyond expression, 27 (BospcI Work iit tljc If anil of tfjc ^Basuto. we fell on our knees and burst into tears. We were the witnesses of a very genuine conversion, for Sekhesa, from that day to his death in 1 88 1, never ceased to be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. Some- weeks after his first prayer, Mr. Arbousset having read to him a hymn in Sesuto on the coming of the peaceful reign of the Saviour, the poor Mosuto, with a beaming countenance, ejaculated, ‘ Blessed be His name ! 5 ” 3ngatberm0g. This happened fifty-eight years ago. What are the results obtained now? To-day, besides the hundreds who have entered their eternal rest, there are 8,500 communicants in our churches, and 5,000 members on probation, whilst the children in the mission schools number over 7,000. In addition, it is only fair to state that besides those who have actually entered the ranks of professing Christians by conversion, there are many heathen who are undoubtedly more or less under the influence of the Gospel, and into the hearts of whom the Gospel is slowly creeping and doing its mysterious work. Slowly but surely is heathenism being undermined, slowly but surely is the belief in the existence of a living God imposing itself upon the heathen, owing to the labour of the missionaries ; and that there is a loving God to whom man may appeal in his troubles is, as a matter of fact, now believed by many of the heathen. They do not realize, however, that God is holy and abhors sin, but cling still to their wicked habits and superstitions, some of which are intimately con- nected with their national life. Conscience is still asleep or speaks words of warning that are not listened to or obeyed. Sparks of light do exist, however, among many of the heathen, and but let the Spirit of God pass over them, and a fire will be kindled which neither heathenism nor Satan will be able to extinguish. As years advance we see more and more of the heathen converted. Whilst waiting for more abundant blessings, we are certain of this, that the preaching of the Gospel, even when direct results are not at once obtained, exercises a decided influence over many souls and prepares a larger harvest than has been gathered in for the Lord up to the present day. Apart from the number of converts, here is a remark often heard : We hear a good deal about the conversion of heathen, but are the conversions real? Can degraded black people ever become true Christians ? 28 j^toit^rlanir of Africa. Ston\> <5rount>. Of course, there are in our mission churches, as elsewhere, Christians of different shades. They have not all attained the same standard of piety and Christian works. Some are true and sterling Christians, about the piety of whom no doubt can be entertained. Others are weaker, and display less zeal and faith. Occasionally natives become members of our churches, and are afterwards found to be defective in morality, and cause great sorrow to their mission- ary by their sins; but, unfortunately, may not a parallel for this be found in European churches ? Whilst acknowledging frankly that our Christians are far from being perfect in faith and conduct, we are bound to keep in mind their antecedents and surroundings. A few years ago they were heathen and the children of heathen. Brought up in heathendom, they every day associate with the heathen. The atmosphere in which they live is saturated with heathenism, and dire temptations are constantly thrown across their path. Is it a wonder if they have to struggle hard for their spiritual life, and if some of them either grow slowly in religious life, or fall into sin, or even in some cases are dragged back into heathenism ? Who dare throw the first stone at them who knows his own defects and failings, and those of his fellow-men and Christians ? Cbe IRealtt^ of Conversions. But this being stated, let us come back to the above question : Are those conversions real ? Can black heathen become true Christians? The answer to this must be fourfold to be effectual. First, it must show, that natives can and do live consistent and pious lives for long years. Secondly, it must show that they persist in their adherence to their faith in the Gospel in spite of long-continued persecution. Thirdly, that they give up wealth, pleasure, friends, and sins at the call of the Word of God; and, fourthly, it must give proof that they are themselves to a great extent monetary supporters of the work in their midst. Many examples, proving that these four conditions come to pass in the experience of heathen, might be culled from records of missionary effort ; but the scope of this pamphlet is to deal with the work in Basutoland. REV. C. MOTEBANG AND FAMILY. (ftospcl Modi in tljc attir of tljc gaauto. 3 1 ttbirt^sty Pears of {testimony First : Many natives are now living who have given clear Christian testimony in speech and walk for periods ranging up to fifty years, and some for even longer periods. A remarkable case in point is that of a man named Feku, still attending the services of the church in Morija. His story has been told in “ In Trophies of the Cross.” These are Feku’s own words : — “ When in 1839 the missionaries first came to Basutoland, I heard through an inter- preter that the missionaries wanted us to kneel and pray. When they prayed, I knelt too.” (Here he knelt on one knee, and almost covered his head with his blanket, and put his hand over the eye that was not covered by the blanket, taking good care to peep slyly through his half-opened fingers.) u I did this because I did not trust the missionaries. I wanted to watch them slyly to see no harm was done. My chief sent me to their school, and I learned to read and helped in building. I read the Gospels, and saw that all on earth was vanity, vanity, vanity ! I read that ‘ God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ I thought it couldn’t be true ; and looked at my Dutch and then at my Zulu Bible, and found it was true. I asked God to forgive all my sins ; and now I am dead to sin and risen with Christ — a new man. I used to call Christ my Friend ; but now I called Him ‘ my Mother,’ because He loved me so and brought me into this new life, and because He keeps me from all harm like a mother — yes, often when the bullets of the Dutch have been falling around me in the wars like hail. I felt God wanted me to work, and I have been all over the country telling of Jesus. But now I am so old I can’t go about ; but my heart yearns for the conversion of the heathen. “ I used to go out morning and evening, calling through the villages, ‘Tapelong, Tapelong ! ’ (‘ Come to prayer !’) At first they came ; but when Petrose Kutoane was converted, they stopped coming. I still went out and called every day ‘ Tapelong ! ’ but no one came. For thirty-six years I rang the bell, for I wouldn’t give in, even though no one came ; for my missionary did not give up, though the people were still heathen, and because it was the work the Lord gave me. 32 j^hfft^erlanir of ^outlj ^Africa. ©ringing in tbe Sbcavcs. “ For thirty-six years I sowed and sowed ; and at last one day five people came in. All the five were converted ; and they were the worst people in the village. It had a miraculous effect ; and still I go out and ring the bell.” (It is only an old piece of iron !) “ I have seven children, and all are Christians except two ; and I know they will be converted, for God will never disappoint me and not answer my prayers. Will God have less mercy on my children, for whom a Christian father’s prayers are offered, than He had on me, a heathen ? No ; I trust Him. I know they will be saved ; and I intend to keep on preaching the Gospel and telling the heathen about Jesus.” It is quite unnecessary to comment on this simple tale. It is certainly a remarkable case of Christian testimony, and will teach a lesson to many European Christians who have had far more oppor- tunities and fewer discouragements to contend with. A lesson in simple faith are his words referring to the tolling of his “ bell ” for thirty-six years. persecution. Secondly : In spite of persecution, sometimes of the keenest character, the people still retain the faith imparted to them. Many instances could be told of wife-beatings and imprisonments and of prolonged torture. Our space forbids more than a solitary example. It occurred this year in the Matatiele . district. A woman came to the church, carrying her baby on her back, and accompanied by her daughter. Between the services, whilst the women were sitting in a circle on the grass, the husband of this woman came rushing up and threw a large stone at his wife, narrowly missing the baby on her back. The wife at once fled into a hut, where the husband, without waiting to hear the remonstrances showered upon him, followed her. Shutting the door upon them both, he beat her severely with a “ jambock ” (whip of rhinoceros hide). The only response she gave to this ill-treatment was to say : “ When you have done beating me , tell me , that I may attend the second service .” The poor creature, however, was unable to go ; for in consequence of the beating she could not stand on her feet. Her constancy finally overcame her husband’s opposition, and she is now one of the bright and living members of the Matatiele church. GRINDING AND WINNOWING. (BospcI Modi in tire ^anti of fijc jSasitto. 35 “Xoss for Cbrtst.” Thirdly : It is a fact that there are hundreds, nay some thousands, of natives in Basutoland, male and female, who at the call of the Spirit of God have given up all their native customs, wealth, sins, and pleasures, their heathen dances, the respect and affection of their friends, and their superstitious beliefs and powers. An example is that of Enoke Lekhoane. Converted about the year 1839, he at once sent his second wife and her two daughters back to her friends, losing, in doing so, some forty head of cattle he might have obtained later on as the marriage price of the two girls. Of the two daughters of his first wife, the eldest he refused cattle for from ten different men who asked her in marriage, and bestowed her upon Feku (of whom mention has been made), who was at this time unconverted, but an adherent. The second daughter in the same way he refused to part with in return for cattle, bestowing her freely upon a Christian native. The number of cattle rejected in this way, apart from those he lost through parting with the daughters of his second wife, was a small fortune to a Mosuto. Enoke had no little trouble in connection with the marriage of his eldest daughter to Feku. His brother-in-law came to the front declaring the marriage of his niece to Feku to be illegal, inasmuch as he had not paid in full for his own wife the mother of the girl, and, therefore, owed the family either a daughter or a certain number of cattle.* The matter was referred to the chiefs and missionaries by the father and husband, who compromised matters by allowing the heathen parents of Feku to give cattle to satisfy the heathen uncle of the girl. Twenty head of cattle were, in consequence, driven qver to Enoke, who refused even to see them, but at last from a distance directed that nine head should be given to his brother-in-law to satisfy his claim and that the rest should be driven back to the parents of Feku. Enoke remained constant to his faith, never relapsing in heathenism, preaching the Gospel from village to village to the time of his death in i860. * It is customary amongst the tribes of South Africa to give cattle in exchange for wives. Ten, twenty, and even a hundred head of cattle are paid as a price of a wife. In Basutoland, the uncles, cousins, or other relations, who help the young man to procure a wife or wives will expect in after years to receive their share of the cattle paid for daughters of the marriage they have helped to bring about. 36 Eljc ^Imt^erlattir of Africa. Conversion of a Mitcb=Ooctor. We cannot refrain from recording another instance of “ Loss for Christ.” Some thirteen years ago, meetings were being conducted in a village not far from the Mission Station at Masitisi. Many people attended, among them a man of keen glance, clothed in an oxskin on which were sewn patches of many colours and shapes. Around his neck were hung a number of charms which told his calling, that of witch-doctor, and small horns containing ointment were suspended on his chest, whilst tied to his cloak were sprigs of medicinal herbs and packets of powder. Mathabatha became a regular attendant, and was at last laid under deep conviction by the Holy Spirit. One day, after being more impressed than usual with what he had heard in church, he had the following conversation with the Missionary : — Missionary : “ When are you going to give your heart to the Lord ? ” Mathabatha : “ Well, I am astonished that God has not had mercy upon me already.” Missionary : “ Why ? ” Mathabatha: “You told me to give up drinking and heathen customs, divining, witchcraft, and dancing, and to come to church. I have done so. You told me to pray to the Lord, and so I have. Why has the Lord not had mercy upon me ? ” Missionary : “ Look at me — straight in the face ; let me see your eyes. Where are your litaola f ” (divining bones). 37 (gospel Morh in tljc Jfattii of tbc jtauto. Mathabatha : “ I never use them.” Missionary : “ That is not my question. Where are they ? ” Mathabatha : “ They are all in the skin bag, lying on the wall in my hut.” Missionary : “ Listen to me. When Jacob sought the blessing of the Lord he buried all his heathen objects under an oak, and the Lord blessed him. Now, there is no oak here for you to bury your litaola under, but there is a river. Go and throw them into the river to prove to the Lord that you have done with them, and take my word, when you do that you will find that God will have mercy upon you.” Mathabatha returned home, and taking his divining bones from the wall, and the charms, threw them into the river. “ As soon as I threw them into the river,” said he, afterwards, “joy and light and peace flooded my heart. I knew then — I felt it — that God had heard my prayer and that mercy was granted unto me.” This old man, after eighteen months’ probation, was admitted into the Church by baptism, and has maintained his Christian testimony down to this day. IRattve Contributions. Fourth : The native Christian contributes a fair amount to the support of the work in his land. Last year, upwards of ^£i,ooo was collected in the native churches of Basutoland, as against ^1,300 of the year before, a decrease due by no means to a lack of desire to aid the work, but caused by famine produced in its turn by the fear- ful havoc wrought by the locusts in 1891. Spread over so large a number of converts, ^1,000 may not seem a large sum. It must be remembered, however, that in a prosperous year the Mosuto does not earn more than ^4 to £6 if he enters the service of a Cape farmer. If he remains at home, his income is entirely dependent upon the produce of his fields, which naturally fluctuates a good deal. Hence his capacity for monetary support of his work is very limited. The sum the natives contribute is, however, all things considered, a fairly large one. Naturally generous and hospitable, they will always share their food and luxuries with those around them; but their generosity is confined to this. To give certain sums of money to something impersonal and only partially seen, is an act and proof of MOUNTAIN HAMLET. (Gospel Work in tljc 'JT attir of tkc ^aaixto. 39 faith on their part, to exercise which they need much Christian teaching. Many instances, as striking as those above, could be given of the sincerity of the faith of Basuto Christians, but is it necessary to give more ? He who pretends that African natives cannot become true Christians, doubts not only the power of the Almighty to change the heart of a heathen into a Christian, but doubts also the capacity for any human being to become a child of God. The word of God and the sanctifying Spirit converted our own wild and idolatrous fore- fathers, and cannot fail to work the same change in the heathen child of Africa. ©ur present meefcs. Our mission work, as may be seen from the above sketch, is extensive and, praised be the Lord, prosperous. Yet look at the task which js still before us. We have, with our present inclusive membership of 13,500, a large number of unconverted Basuto still to bring to Christ. Of these, as we have said, a certain number are more or less under the influence of the Gospel. The Roman Catholic Mission, founded about thirty years ago, and the Church of England S.P.G., who have laboured in Basutoland since 1870, influence also a certain number of Basuto, though no figures can be given to show the extent of their influence.* This we can positively say — that, counting the influence of our work to extend to say 40,000 of the population, nearly 200,000 Basuto are still outside the pale of the Church of Christ, and in the bondage of heathenism. To these we are bound to offer the Gospel ; to these we partly offer it by the evangelistic work of missionaries, catechists, and Christians. As already mentioned, besides the seventeen principal stations, we have 126 out-stations spread all over the country. But many more ought to be and could be established, the doors being open, and opening ever wider. Why cannot we at once seize the good opportunity, and bring the light into dark corners of the land, and in the mountainous parts of it, where thousands of heathen are still left uncared for? Why? Because we have not the means of doing our duty, which is the earnest desire of our hearts. All our * The last Report of the S.P.G. (1892) gives for Basutoland 508 com- municants. Roman Catholic Reports give no figures. 40 OHjc j^imt^crlantJ of JUrxm. out-stations are supplied and supported by our native Christians, with the exception of some assistance sent from England, Scotland, and The Cape Colony. The Paris Evangelical Missionary Society has already its hands full with its missions on the Zambesi and the Congo, in Senegal, in the Pacific Ocean, in Algeria. The Protestant churches of France are small and poor — they are doing what they can ; but as they have to contend with great difficulties caused by Roman Catholicism and Atheism, it is no wonder they are not able to meet the demands made on them for missionary efforts. It is therefore evident that, as we cannot count on our French brethren, we must look for help elsewhere ; and if our evangelistic work is to be maintained and developed, it must be by the contributions of the Basuto Christians themselves, which are never large enough for the wants of the work ; or by the kind help given us by our friends, by your help, dear Reader ! Oh, if you could realize the horror of heathenism : human souls condemned, not by God, but by geographical and historical cir- cumstances, to live without God and without hope ! Many Basuto heathen are hungering for means of salvation. Many do not have that craving, and are drifting towards death without even knowing that God has prepared in Jesus a better lot for them. And that indifference, their serenity, their so-called peace, is even more heartrending than the unsatisfied thirst for truth and salvation that troubles others. Must they be left in their blindness, and remain for ever a prey for Satan and perdition ? or will Christian men and women in Great Britain help on the work by giving back to the Lord some of the means He has so freely bestowed upon them ? Mill P©TIl ho something for Basutolanh ? Oh, that God may raise up many “ cheerful givers ” of money, time, and prayer, to aid His work in the Switzerland of South Africa ! 4i (SospcI Ififtork in tijc yank of tlje gasiito. Contributions will be thankfully received by the folloiving on behalf of the Basutoland Mission : — Messrs. Morgan and Scott, Publishers of “The Christian,” 12, Paternoster Buildings, London, E.C. Messrs. Barclay and Co., Bankers, 54, Lombard Street, London, E.C. Mr. W. M. Alston, 50, Sardinia Terrace, Hillhead, Glasgow. Rev. R. H. Dyke, 55, Sardinia Terrace, Hillhead, Glasgow. Mr. R. Arthur Lockhart, Belleisle, Polwarth Terrace, Edinburgh. REFEREES. LONDON. Mr. J. E. Mathieson, 47, Phillimore Gardens, Kensington, W. Mr. R. C. Morgan, Editor of “The Christian,” 12, Paternoster Buildings, E.C. Mrs. Malan, 42, Stanhope Gardens, S.W. EDINBURGH. Rev. J. H. Wilson, D.D., Minister of the Barclay Church, 1, E. Castle Road. Dr. E. Sargood Fry, The Medical Mission House, 56, George Square. GLASGOW. Lord Overtoun, 7, West George Street. Mr. John Stephen, Messrs. Alexander Stephen and Sons, Ship- builders, Linthouse. APPENDIX I. SOCIETE DES MISSIONS EVANGELIQUES. Chez les Peuples non Chretiens. t Etablie a Paris. Cana, Basutoland, April 20 , 1893. MM., We take the occasion of our colleague, the Rev. R. H. Dyke, going on furlough, after sixteen years of laborious Work, to Europe, to lay before friends of missions in Scotland (where he will spend most of his time) some special needs of our work in Basuto- land. For many years we have been receiving efficient help from some of you ; but hitherto we have not been able to confide to anyone going direct from Basutoland the task to lay before you the special requirements of our work. The following are the objects which we would more particularly lay upon your hearts ; and we beg of you to assist Mr. Dyke in collecting for these following purposes : — 1. Our work is mainly being developed through native agency. We are expected to pay native evangelists a salary of £10 per annum ; but cannot do it in all cases. We have now 133 native evangelists, exclusive of schoolmasters. Had we means at our disposal, we could well occupy at least thirty more centres of evangelization. The evangelists now engaged are barely sufficient to carry the Gospel in a regular manner to the heathen who are dispersed throughout the country in villages and hamlets. Would it not be possible for you, dear friends — individually, or as churches, or Sunday Schools — to undertake the support of a certain number of native evangelists? ^Appcntui I. 43 2. Our Training Institution at Morija, the object of which is to give a liberal education to the youths of this country, but especially to the training of teachers and evangelists, has now upon the roll about ioo boarders. We are very much in need of new class-rooms which would cost about j£6oo. Besides this, a debt of ^150 rests upon a dormitory just constructed. We feel anxious ’to have this debt cleared off. 3. We have also an Industrial School for Girls at Thaba Bosigo, which has at present thirty-four boarders in attendance. Perhaps, of all our institutions, it is the most needful in this country. To develop it we would require a sum of about £300 ; and for this we appeal more especially to the ladies of Scotland. Dear friends, if you are able to help us in these several under- takings, we shall be most grateful ; and you may rest assured that we shall use the utmost economy, so as to make the most of the help you may be willing to give us. In the name of the Conference of the missionaries working in Basutoland, (Signed) ALFRED CASALIS, Secretary. APPENDIX II. ttnumpb of tbe (Sospel. Extract from the “ South African Pioneer A Diary of Mr. Spencer Walton , Director of the Cape General Mission, who lately visited Basutoland. “ Oh ! the glorious triumphs of the Gospel. The life-giving power in the name of Jesus, the mighty work which God the Holy Ghost alone could do and has done through His beloved and devoted servants. Words fail to express what I felt as my eyes looked on Morija. It made my faith rise, and as I wandered to our little mission station in Swazieland, I could picture another Morija rising up in the midst of the Swazie station, hear the church bell and see the Swazies like the Basuto flocking to hear the Word of God. I think the work of this mission, with its thousands of witnesses, is the grandest argument one could bring to bear upon the infidel, and must silence the sceptic and hush the scoffer. Commenced sixty years ago, it has steadily risen, and like streams the various branches have been pushing on. Its progress is remark- able, and we can but praise God ! Are Missions failures ? I asked myself, and inwardly wished every sceptical fault-finder would see for himself. Oh ! if our rich brethren could only see the quiet, solid, and ever-extending work this Mission is doing they would not hold their purse strings so tight. There are many open doors waiting to be filled and out-stations to be built. ^150 can start a station and £\o per annum can keep it up.” READY FOR A JOURNEY. CROSSING A RIV^R. APPENDIX III. STATISTICS OF THE BASUTOLAND CHURCHES IN CONNECTION WITH THE PARIS EVANGELICAL MISSIONARY SOCIETY. 1891. 1892. Increase. Decrease. Stations i 5 17 2 Out-stations 128 137 9 Workers (evangelists and school-teachers) 241 2 39 2 Admitted to Communion 881 823 58 Communicants 7 , 9 °° 8,514 614 Candidates for baptism . . . 4,543 4,956 413 Under discipline ... 183 154 29 Collections for Basutoland ,£1,315 £^1,001 ^314 ,, f , Zambesi ... ^>34 GENERAL STATISTICS. Population 225,000 Ploughs (number of) 10,000 Waggons 808 Cattle ,, 320,000 Horses ,, 81,000 MISSIONARY FAMILY AT THE OUTSPAN, APPENDIX IV. Extracts from an article published in “ The Mailf Sept. 2 , 1893, by Miss Shaw , correspondent of the London “Times.” “ Late in the afternoon the road began to wind sharply up and down hill, and sunset found us on a high ridge, with a magnificent view of the Maluti range spread out before us. ‘ There,’ said the driver, with a comprehensive sweep, ‘ there is Basutoland ; and there, and there, and there. All the mountains are Basutoland.’ The horizon was filled from edge to edge with mountain-tops. Some of the higher peaks were already tipped with snow, and rose white and sharp from the ghostly grays of the eastern twilight : towards the west others were glowing red and purple under the reflections of the sky. It is the Switzerland of South Africa — a country of rocks and waterfalls and fertile valleys ; and it bears in extent the same pro- portion to the Switzerland of Europe that the Orange Free State does to France. It has an area of 10,293 miles, of which the greater part is mountain. Some day, when the farmers of Ladybrand get their grain-line to Bloemfontein, and the manner of approach is easier, it will probably become the happy hunting-ground of tourists in search of health and picturesque scenery. At present it is simply the home of one of the most promising of the native races of the continent. “ Its history is not altogether unworthy of the geographic parallel ; for if Basutoland is our Switzerland, the Basuto may fairly claim to be the Swiss of South Africa. They have defended their mountain fastnesses against troops superior to them in armament and military knowledge ; but they are not naturally warlike — they are, on the contrary, a peaceful, hardy, and industrious people “The output of grain, cattle, and native produce from Basutoland last year reached the value of ^250,000 ; and passes were issued to between 50,000 and 60,000 natives who went to work in the mines of Kimberley and Johannesburg “ The Mission Schools in Basutoland have contributed not a little to the success of the political experiment. The most important of ^.ppCttitiE IV. 51 these are, curiously enough, not English. The French Protestant Mission of the Paris Evangelical Society, which has for many years devoted its labours to the education of the Basuto people, has thirteen principal stations and 129 out-stations, with day-schools scattered through the country. It has nearly 8,000 children upon its ordinary school rolls, and has, besides these, about 700 [should be 200. — Ed.] young men in training either as teachers or in industrial institutions where trades are taught. At the principal station of Morija, which lies within a four hours’ drive of Maseru, and within half an hour of the mountain kraal of Lerothodi, the present para- mount chief, there is a printing and bookbinding establishment, where on the occasion of my visit an edition of 3,000 copies of a Sesuto reading book was under preparation entirely by native printers and compositors. A fortnightly paper, of which the name being translated, means ‘ The Little Light,’ is also printed and published here in Sesuto. It is written principally by native contributors, and, far from experiencing any difficulty in keeping it alive, the editor has to complain of plethora of copy and want of space. It reaches, I learnt, the very respectable circulation of 800 copies. The Govern- ment printing is also done by natives at Morija. At Quthing, another of the French stations, there is an industrial school, where stone cutting, mason’s work, and carpentering are taught. At Thaba Bosigo, the historic burying-place of the chiefs, there is a school for girls, where, in addition to elementary teaching, the pupils can learn needlework, cookery, and the ordinary domestic arts. Every mission station that I visited had houses built of brick and well-planted gardens. Each had its church and schoolhouse, and it was notice- able that the huts which surrounded them were of a distinctly higher grade than the huts of a purely native settlement. At Morija many were square and possessed the luxury of windows and an upright door. Some had chimneys. Three or four that I entered had European furniture. One was quite pretty, with blue-washed walls, chintz curtains, and blue willow-patterned cup and dishes on a shelf. The step from an ordinary hut to this is very great and represents an advance in development the significance of which can hardly be exaggerated. It means nothing less than the conversion of the native from the condition of a loafing savage to the condition of a labourer. This, if it could become general, is the solution of the native problem, and it is difficult to realize anywhere but on the spot OF ILL t in 5 2 IV. how much the missionaries contribute to make it general. It is only, perhaps, in driving about the mountains, visiting alternately chiefs and mission stations, that it is possible to appreciate the real and best work that they are doing. By inducing the common people to adopt civilized customs they are giving them civilized wants, and laying the foundation of all civilized endeavour.” TO THE RESCUE. APPENDIX V. Extract from a “ Report on Schools in the territory of Basutoland, inspected during the months of January and February, 1892, by the Rev. II. R. Woo dr oof e, M.A., Deputy Inspector of Schools, Cape Colony .” “ According to the latest published returns the number of schools in Basutoland is 113, with an enrolment of 6,932 scholars. I have visited or inspected thirty-seven schools, having a total of 2,906 scholars. Thus one-third of the schools, and very nearly three- sevenths of the scholars have come under my observation. The schools inspected are rather above the average of those in this territory, owing to the number of schools at central stations ; those at out-stations being generally inferior, but among the latter I did not find one with which I was dissatisfied. I have had some years of inspection experience in the Cape Colony, and have examined a large number of native schools annually. And my opinion of the Basuto- land schools is favourable. If the adverse circumstances of late years be taken into consideration, the condition of these schools is more hopeful than would have been anticipated. At present they are somewhat below the average of those in other native territories, but they will advance ; and it is highly probable that they will surpass the others, just as the Basuto race itself outstrips the other races in energy and intelligence. The great want is a supply of good teachers. As regards the amount of the money grant given by Government, I consider it to be moderate. As nearly as I can calculate, it is less by one-fourth than the sum which could be claimed under the system of the Cape Colony.”