Images de page
PDF
ePub

Heligious Intelligence.

Not long since, the Protestants of France determined to take their part in the glorious work of evangelizing the heathen world. And And on the return of Dr. Philip to South Africa, whence he had gone to Britain to plead the cause of the oppressed Hottentots, and where he did plead it with success-the French missionaries accompanied him, as their patron and director. The following letter is a report from one of these missionaries to the society in Paris, that had sent him out. A French Protestant missionary report, to a French Protestant missionary society, is an interesting novelty, even in this age of missions. This has been with us one inducement to lay it before our readers. But beside

this, it gives the most recent account that we have seen, of the progress of the whole mission in South Africa-one of the most important in the world-and an interesting exhibition of the manners of the people, and the nature of the country where the missionaries are employed. We shall give the whole report, although it will occupy a good deal of our space; but we do not know how to fill it better. The French letter, or report, was translated for the supplement to the last volume of the Evangelical Magazine, from which we take it.

MR. LEMUR'S JOURNAL. Translated from the French, by a Friend of the Editor.

Bethelsdorp, April 19, 1830. Gentlemen, and honoured Brethren in Jesus Christ our Lord,-In the Journal of our brother Rolland, forwarded to you some weeks since, he gave some account of the missionary institutions we had visited, and of the observations we had made during our journey from the Paarl to Bethelsdorp; he there told you that we proposed accompanying Dr. Philip to Caffraria, and that if Providence should open to us in that

country a door for the preaching of the gospel, we should request your consent to establish there a missionary station. Since he wrote, we have visited part of Caffraria, and have now returned to Bethelsdorp. I purpose to explain to you, in the close of my journal, the motives which have induced that return; but previous to giving the details of our journey, I shall venture to make some few general remarks on the country we have just visited.

The Caffre, or Amakosa tribe, now inhabits that portion of land which lies between the rivers Batha and Keiskama.

Not long since they extended to the Fish River; but now all the country on that side the Keiskama is occupied by the colonists. The natural beauties of Caffraria are very great: its soil is peculiarly fertile, and it is watered by an abundance of small streams. Its population, according to a minute calculation culation made by the missionaries, consists of 100,000 souls, and is, consequently, much larger than that of the colony. It would be difficult to convey to you an idea of the feelings with which we, for the first time, saw ourselves surrounded by a crowd of savages. The children are absolutely naked; the men wear a large carass, which, suspended from the shoulders, reaches to the knees, and of which they avail themselves as a carpet when they wish to recline. The dress of the women is rather more complicated; it consists of an apron, formed of skin, and fastened a little below much lower than that of the men, and to the waist, and a cloak, which descends which, as an ornament, they fasten between the shoulders another skin, about a foot long, covered with several rows of give to their appearance an air of dignity. buttons, which train on the ground, and An antelope's skin generally composes their head-dress, part of which is curiously covered with grains of verroterie, and arranged in the form of a turban. Instead of this they sometimes wear a handkerchief, in the form of a crown; but they prefer the turban. Both sexes adorn themselves with necklaces of verroterie, and ear-rings, made of a still coarser grain. This serves also for money. The men never go out unarmed; they carry their assegais, which appear similar to those used by the ancients, and which they dart to a great distance. Each warrior has seven of these weapons, besides which he is armed with a stick, very large at one end, which is called kerri. It was in this costume that they approached us; but, far from appearing formidable, they had an air of confidence, benevolence, and simplicity, that is not always found even among civilized

nations. The whole country being open to them, they often change their residence: their flocks frequently induce these emigrations; for when water or pasturage fails in one place, they must seek it elsewhere. It is owing to this that we saw so many huts empty, where we expected to have found inhabitants. In general their kraals are composed of from twelve to fifteen huts, built in the form of hives; the largest are fifteen feet in diameter and eight or ten in height. The whole building is supported by stakes of wood; the fire burns in the centre, and the smoke escapes by the door. When we visited them, they received us very cordially. Our dress attracted their attention but little; what struck them most was the colour of our skin: they drew their hands over their own faces, and then pointing at ours, they talked to each other with an amazing volubility, and laughed aloud. The women brought their children to us to receive presents; we gave them buttons, when they immediately took a little basket, which they use as a basin, and after having filled it with milk, offered it to us.

The Caffres keep their milk in a leathern bag, which they stretch on the ground, and keep continually supplied, so that it immediately contracts a sour taste. The first time we tasted it, we thought it extremely disagreeable, but very soon became accustomed to it. Milk, meat, maize, and a sort of grain that the women cultivate, form almost the whole of their nourishment: they are very robust, and as the country is very fertile, and they have much cattle, they pass the greater proportion of their time in idleness.

Although to those wearied of the corruption and excess which predominate in polished society, this savage life may assume a pleasing aspect, yet we must not suffer it to deceive us: with this simplicity of nature great vices are mingled. After all, the Caffres are sensual, and must be so, since all their hopes are limited to this life. When we hear of a country where the knowledge of the true God has not shone, and where the principles of Christianity are unknown, we may at once confidently conclude that nothing, either spiritual or divine, will be found among the people who inhabit it, and that, in spite of natural law, immorality will be found predominant. We must not, therefore, be astonished that polygamy has been established among the Caffres. Geika, who died last year, had six wives; all the chiefs whom we have seen have three or four, and the others take as many as they please. It is by no means an unusual thing to see families abandoning those of their relatives who appear near death, in a wood, thus exposing them to become the inevitable prey of wild beasts. They have such a Ch. Adv.-Vol. X.

horror of death, that, when any one has died, all the inhabitants of the kraal quit their habitations, reduce to ashes the hut of the deceased, and all belonging to him, and remove to another situation. They give the rights of sepulture to the chiefs alone, and even then take such precautions, that scarcely any one knows the place of burial. The belief in enchantments exercises a fatal influence throughout the country. Every one knows that they attribute a great part of their sicknesses to the malice of sorcerers; but it is often only a pretence to rid themselves of an individual whom they hate, or whose flocks they desire. When a chief envies the riches of a neighbour, he sends for the fundis or doctor. They then assemble all the inhabitants of the neighbouring kraals, and, at the end of some dances and certain ceremonies, the fundis points out the guilty person, and the unhappy man is condemned to suffer death by burning, while his accusers divide his riches among themselves. Notwithstanding, the missionaries told us that these abuses already have become more rare, and that when the Caffres have resolved on an auto-da-fé of this sort, they are very careful to conceal their design from the missionaries, who thus often do not hear of the evil till it is too late to apply a remedy. But, thanks to the mercy of God, soon these horrors will no longer exist; already the light of the gospel has shown brightly through the country: the missionary stations are as cities set on mountains, whence light issues in all directions: many chiefs have embraced the gospel, and conduct themselves as true Christians; a great number of others regularly attend on divine worship, and strongly approve the instructions of the missionaries, although they confess that they themselves have not yet the happiness of being Christians. The work of the Lord has not, then, been in vain, since in Caffraria we find many churches, composed of a considerable number of the faithful, who have the same faith, the same hopes, and the same love to Jesus Christ as European Christians. Persuaded that you follow us with your remembrances, and receive the smallest details that we communicate as a father receives news of his children who are in a foreign land, I shall proceed to give you an extract of my journal.

The 13th of March we left Graham's Town, with Dr. Philip and Mr. Read, who had accompanied us from Bethelsdorp with the intention of visiting the missionary stations. Mr. Munro, missionary at Graham's Town, and Mr. Yeoland, a very pious military man, with whom we had lodged, conducted us to Herman's kraal. roads being very bad, this day's travelling was very difficult, and what rendered it still more so, the country was very moun

2 F

The

tainous, and generally covered with woods some feet high, among which there are more aloes than in any other part of the colony. As the Doctor wished to preach the next day to the troops at Fortwilshire, we were obliged to walk all night, and on Sunday morning we arrived at the fort. Captain Frend, commander of the garrison, showed us much kindness, and during the whole time that we remained at Fortwilshire we received various marks of friendship from his family, and from many other officers who had travelled in France, The fort is situated near the Keiskama, and the government maintains there a military detachment to guard the frontiers. There was service in the chapel morning and evening, and Dr. Philip officiated at both services. In the afternoon a young officer invited us to assist in a Sunday-school which he himself conducted, and we were delighted with the zeal he displayed in the education of these children, who, without this, would be deprived of all means of instruction. The heat to day was excessive; we had erected our tent on the borders of the Keiskama, and as the river only separated us from Caffraria, we were visited by a great number of Caffres. A few women approached our tent; they all had little cane baskets, filled with curdled milk, upon their heads, for the Caffre women are accustomed to carry every kind of burden in this manner, and they do it with so much address, that they seldom have occasion to support it with the hand, which contributes to give them a light and graceful demeanour. Our Hottentots begged their milk, and gave them meat in exchange, with which they seemed well satisfied; one of the youngest especially talked with an astonishing volubility, and struck her breast with both her hands, to testify to the others her joy. Nothing could be more simple and playful than their expressions; their dress was the same as that I have described above: some had, beside, a row of copper rings, which reached round the arm from the wrist to the elbow. I endeavoured to talk to them; but as I had no interpreter, I was obliged to relinquish the attempt. They seemed interested in all we did; they imitated our walk and gestures, and talked to each other with much warmth; and they eat a very coarse white root, of a sweet taste, which they passed from one to the other. As our Hottentots dined before them without offering them any thing, they began to upbraid them in their language, exclaiming with a loud voice, "Wolof! wolof! (O wolfs! wolfs!)" By means of an interpreter, Mr. Read, in the evening, had domestic worship in the tent, where many Caffres assembled, while we were at the chapel. All night I was occupied by the scene we had witnessed during the day, and

sometimes I could hardly convince myself that it was not a dream and illusion.

The 15th, a chief, named Botma, came to visit us. His height was gigantic, and all the parts of his body so well proportioned, that he might have formed a model for a statuary. His clothing consisted of one piece of stuff, without a seam; he wore on his arm a bracelet of bones, a distinctive mark of the chiefs, and his air and manner were indicative of gloom and melancholy. We asked him how it was that all the other chiefs had missionaries while

he had none. He replied, that he had always desired to have one, but that he and his people were wanderers, and had no abode to offer. We then asked him how many warriors he had. "I do not know," replied he; "but if I had a missionary, he would write them, and then I should soon know the number." However, he began to count on his fingers by an interpreter; for each person whom the interpreter named the chief extended a finger, and when he had counted ten, he struck his hands one against the other and began again. This calculation lasted an hour, and then he found that he had 410 men under his command. In the evening we had domestic worship as before. It was performed in Dutch, and a Hottentot, who knew the Caffre language, translated the explanation of the word of God and the prayers.

On the 16th we went to visit a kraal, situated about a league from Fortwilshire, on colonial territory. Before arriving there we met five men on horseback, riding at full speed; we saluted them, but they proceeded without turning their heads. A little further on, three men, of immense stature, were seated at the door of their hut: one of them was staining his body with a sort of ochre, while the others were occupied with their assegais. Stooping down to look into their hut, I saw seven children, more beautiful than any I have ever before met with; and the first thought that struck me in remarking them was, that of the Christian ladies at Paris. "If they were here," said I to myself, “with what delight would they undertake the education of this interesting family!" Having asked where the chief lived, they conducted us to his kraal, where we found him surrounded by about thirty men, as strong as Hercules, but, like Saul, the chief surpassed all the others in stature. They immediately asked for presents, and especially tobacco. The chief showed his cloak, which was nearly worn out, to Dr. Philip, intimating that he had need of another garment. "In England," said he, "there are so many chiefs; write to them to send me their old clothes." We then asked them to show us how they conducted their wars; when one of them took a buckler of skin, which covered the whole

all

body, and went through all their military evolutions.

The 17th of March was the fair-day at Fortwilshire, and we had never before seen so many Caffres together; there were 1500. We saw them descending the mountains, carrying on their heads the articles they had to sell; some had horns and ox hides, and others mats and baskets. Some had travelled a distance of 100 leagues from the very limits of Caffraria, carrying on their head an enormous ox hide, which they wished to exchange for some buttons. We again saw the chief with whom we had met the preceding evening, and who now paid us a visit attended by all his people. He wore a European dress, fastened around the waist by a shabby girdle; his attendants walked behind him, in three ranks, in great order, and their cloaks resembled those of the ancient Romans, as represented in our poems.

Some hours after the fair began. All the Caffres placed themselves in ranks, with their merchandise before them; and in order to prevent the confusion which might have been occasioned by so large a multitude, the sale of each article was in turn announced by the sound of a trumpet. The colonists were extremely anxious to obtain the Caffre commodities, and gave in exchange little hatchets, knives, and buttons; for, with the exception of a very few Caffres, who lived on the frontier, these people attach no value to colonial money. The women were most desirous for handkerchiefs, which they arrange as head-dresses in a very graceful manner; and we remarked, that the coarser the material, the more value they attached to it, as they imagined it would last the longer. Captain Frend had provided us with a soldier to guard our carriages, lest any thing should be stolen from them; but all was conducted with the greatest order, and we witnessed none of those disgraceful contests which so often take place in large European fairs. The same fair occurs every week, and there are never less than 1200 Caffres present.

In the evening we were visited by Botma and the old chief Eno, the same that received Dr. Van der Kemp, when he was about to commence a mission in Caffraria. They passed the night in our tent, attended by their principal men. In seeing these men so interesting in their infantine simplicity, but so entirely sensual, and anxious only to satisfy their carnal desires, I was obliged to retire and pour out my heart in secret before the Lord; they appeared to me like children descended from illustrious ancestors, but who were ignorant of their origin. Oh, that they might learn to know their Creator, and the incomprehensible love which he has had for them! I perceived in this moment the grandeur and importance of the message with which God had charged us to them, and I felt as

tonished that we could enjoy a moment's rest while they continued at a distance from God.

After I returned to the tent, one of us read a portion of Scripture; an old Caffre translated the passage with much feeling, and during the prayer they were all much affected.

On the 18th we left Fortwilshire, accompanied by Capt. Frend, governor of the fortress. Scarcely had we crossed the Keiskama, when the country assumed a totally different aspect. While in the colony, we had no sooner descended one hill, than another immediately presented itself before us, while all was scorched by the rays of the sun; but here we discovered at a distance the most beautiful plains, and numberless little valleys crowned with verdure. In the colony the summit of the mountains is almost always covered by rocks, which rise perpendicularly, and which often resemble a wall falling to ruins; but here the highest mountains that we saw were covered with trees, which spread a sweet freshness through the whole country. There the accacias are very numerous, and often planted at regular distances, as the apple trees in Normandy. But, as we advanced, we gradually lost the traces of beaten paths, and were obliged to open new ones for ourselves through the trees; we soon perceived Caffres advancing from behind the wood, armed with their assegais; most of them were entirely naked, and a great many followed us to ask presents. The word they employed for this object was "basila," which they continually repeated in the most graceful manner. In the evening we stopped near a stream to pass the night. Mr. Brownlee and his interpreter, the son of Tchatelion, having heard of our arrival, had come to meet us, and the latter preached to his countrymen, who assembled in great num

bers in our tent.

On the 19th we set out in the morning to reach the station of Mr. Brownlee. As our course had been directed towards the east yesterday, we now proceeded to the north, towards the source of the Keiskama, when we traversed vast plains covered with flocks. It rained to-day, and we were surprised to see the Caffres cast off their cloaks. The missionary, Brownlee, pointed out to us a mountain, where, some time since, a Caffree, accused of sorcery, had been put to death; after having fastened this unhappy man in his hut, they burnt his body with red hot stones, and in this state he was exposed to the rays of the in a place where there were a number of ants; and it was only after having suffered these horrible torments that they took away his life.

sun,

22d March. We remained some days with the missionaries Brownlee and KeyThe village they have commenced has yet no name; it is situated near the

ser.

river Buffalo. Besides the dwellings of the missionaries, there are many houses built by the natives, some huts, and a school which serves for a church: unhappily very few children attend the school. Yesterday, being Sunday, seventy people attended divine service, and on leaving the church we saw all, great and small, retire to some distance behind the wood, to engage in secret prayer.

One must have been more than insensible to behold such a scene without emotion, especially in a country where, but a few years ago, the people had never heard of God. Yet we must not conclude from this circumstance that all have received a deep impression of the truths of the gospel; for, since the death of the missionary Williams, the habit of prayer has become very general through a great part of Caffraria. In the evening there was a catechetical exercise, when the missionary questioned the Caffres as to what they had heard in the morning; many replied with great facility; but as it was in their own language, we could not judge of the justness of their answers. Missionary Brownlee has translated the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark, and the first Epistle of St. John. Except these they have only manuscript translations, which are used in the churches. Tchatelion, a young chief to whom Van der Kemp gave a good education, has been very useful in this important work.

There is in the work of Dr. Philip on South Africa a hymn, composed by a Caffre, and which many of the inhabitants of this place know by heart, and often sing together. The air has something in it so simple and yet so solemn, that it drew tears from me the first time we heard it in the church. This need not surprise you, for they themselves were so absorbed in this sacred exercise, that they seemed to have entirely forgotten this world. We attempted to sing this hymn, having obtained the music of it, but it no longer possessed their touching melody.

23d. The chief Tchatelion, who lives in the station, came to see us this morning; he is a very intelligent old man. Some years since he seemed to take much pleasure in following the instructions of the missionaries; but since the Caffres have been at peace with the Europeans, and that consequently the latter have more frequented Caffraria, their example has exercised a fatal influence over him, and he now raises a number of objections. "If your religion is true," said he, "why do the white people behave as they do? If the gospel comes indeed from God, why has he so long delayed to send it to us? You say that there is a devil, and that God is Almighty, why, then, does not God destroy him, and hinder him from injuring men?" We spoke to him of the immortality of the soul, and of the final judgment; he then asked whether, in the other world,

we should bear the same name that we do in this. This question was embarrassing; but we replied to him that the names of the elect were written in the book of life. "Are the names of all men written there?" he asked. "No," we replied, "those of the good only; but those of the wicked are written in the book of condemnation." The conversation lasted some time on the same subject. This old man passes his whole time in making pipes; he is very fond of praise, and when his friends wish for one of his pipes, they begin to extol the exploits of his youth and the nobility of his origin; he then never fails to make them a present.

Before quitting the station of Mr. Brownlee, I visited one of the sons of the old chief Tchatelion, who has long laboured under an incurable malady. During the short time we spent at this place, we had several opportunities of seeing him, and he listened with much attention to all we said to him regarding the salvation of his soul. In the commencement of his sickness, when he felt the approaches of death, he became sensible of the necessity of instruction, and of submitting his heart to Jesus Christ; he had long been convinced of the divinity of the gospel, and as his example was likely to exert a great influence over others, he left his own dwelling, that he might live near the missionaries. When I went to bid him farewell, I found him seated on a mat, which served him for a bed; his wife and a servant being with him. A large fire was burning in the middle of the hut, which filled it with smoke; his pale and interesting figure inspired me with an inexpressible compassion, and I could have wished to remain with him, to repeat to him unceasingly those promises which Jesus Christ has made to those who believe and repent. I entreated him to place his confidence in God, and to seek forgiveness of his sins through the cross of the Saviour. When I was about to leave, he warmly pressed my hand, fixed his eyes upon me for a long time, and assured nie, by means of his interpreter, that he reposed all his hope in Christ. In the afternoon we set out for Mount Coke, situated three leagues from the river Buffalo, where we then were. This station was founded four years ago, by the Wesleyans. We there found a very handsome house, a school, and a considerable space of wellcultivated ground. When we arrived, the missionary, Shrewsbury, mentioned to us the Eole, a French wreck, which was cast, about a year ago, on the shores of Caffraria; for he then occupied a station some distance hence, and those of the crew who survived the wreck lodged at his house. In the account which some of them have since published, they speak with much gratitude of the kindness shown to them by the missionaries on this occasion.

While we were at Mount Coke, Mr.

« PrécédentContinuer »