# The Lutheran Pioneer_St. Louis_1885_S30 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 30 The Lutheran Pioneer. Woman in Africa. The condition of woman in Africa is one of debasing servitude, dark, superstitious and hope- less bondage. All her life long she is owned, the purchased property of husband, brother or some male relative. ‘The only alternative to obedience is the most cruel treatment. The birth of a son brings honor to a father, but a daughter is counted as so much wealth. At any time after her birth he eagerly listens to any proposal by which he may barter away the new piece of property for articles of mer- chandise or rum. The native heathen is too proud and indolent to work enough to lay up anything, so that he can not pay at once for his purchase, and a few brief years are allowed the little girl in her mother’s arms before the man, who already has several wives, is able to complete the dowry. From her earliest lispings she is taught to say “‘my husband,” but never grows into the true meaning of that word. The native usually erects a bamboo hut, con- sisting of one apartment for each of his wives; but, if too indolent or poor for that, several wives, with the children they may have, are crowded into one hut. The quarreling and strife ensuing are not easily imagined. One can but wonder at the passiveness with which the mother sees her child go through the same process of misery that she did; but it must be remembered that she has no more power to saye her child than she had to save herself. “The women of Africa are subjected to the hardest and most degrading physical service. When the time for gardening comes, which it does twice in one year, no matter how weak and frail she may be, she is obliged to go to the forest, a mile or more from the town, and, with a long knife, must cut the undergrowth and branches, the heavy timber heing felled by the men. She must set fire to the withered vegetation, and, upon the uneven ground, strewn with charred branches and heavy tim- ber, lying where they fell, she plants, first loosening the ground with her knife, the cas- sava, corn, plantains and a few other things. Whe the fresh, young vegetation would prove tempting to the elephants, she must watch all night, frightening them off, if they come near, with a firebrand and shouting. When she re- turns home in the morning, weary and worn, carrying upon her back a load of wood, a heavy jug of water or some produce of the garden, rest and refreshment would be most accept- able; but she must prepare a meal for her master, receiving angry words, and sometimes blows, if she fails to have it in ‘readiness. _ If left a widow, the African woman passes into the hands of some male relative of her husband, no matter how reluctant she may be to enter a second time into a forced marriage. Sad and terrible is the sight of the lives of these unloved and-uncared-for sisters, wives ‘and mothers of Africa! Hopeless, indeed, ‘would be sebin GeTEO Ta of our Saviour Jesus Christ, whose bright rays alone can penetrate the dark degradation of African women, and elevate them to Christian womanhood. = ee - A Missionary’s Experience. Upon one occasion Dr. Moffat experienced a very narrow escape from a tiger and a ser- pent. He says: ‘‘I had left the wagons, and wandered to a distance among the coppice and grassy openings in search of game. I had a small double barrelled gun on my shoulder, which was loaded with ball and small shot. An antelope passed, at which I fired, and slowly followed the course it took. After advancing a short distance I saw a tiger cat staring at me between the forked branches of a tree, behind which his long spotted body was concealed, twisting and turning his tail like a cat just going to spring upon his prey. This I knew was a critical moment, not having a ball or shot in my gun. I moved about as if in search of something in the grass, taking care to re- treat at the same time. After getting, as I thought, a suitable distance to turn ‘my back, I moved somewhat more quickly, but, in my anxiety to escape what was behind, I did not see what was before, until startled by treading on a large cobra de capello serpent asleep on the grass. It instantly twined its body round my leg—on which I had nothing but a pair of thin trousers—when I leaped from the spot, dragging the venomous and enraged reptile after me; and, while in the act of throwing itself into a position to bite, without turning round, I threw my gun over my shoulder and shot it. Taking it by the tail, I brought it to my people at the wagons, who, on examining the bags of poison, asserted that, had the creat- ure bitten me, I could never have reached the wagons. The serpent was six feet long.’’ Re -Casting- all your Cares upon Him. In the Summer of 1878, I descended the Rhigi with one of the most faithful of the old Swiss guides. Beyond the services of the day, he gave me unconsciously a lesson for my life. His first care was to put my wraps and other burdens upon his shoulder. In doing this he asked for all, but I chose to keep back a few for special care. I soon found them no little hindrance to the freedom of my movements; but still I would not give them up until my guide, returning to me where I sat resting a moment, kindly but firmly demanded that I should give up everything but my alpin stock. Putting them with the utmost care upon his shoulders, with a look of intense satisfaction he again led the way. And now, in my freedom, I found Icould make double speed, with double safety. Then a voice spoke inwardly, ‘‘Ah, foolish, willful heart, hast thou indeed given up thy last burden? Thou hast no need to in a flash, and then as I leaped lightly on from rock to rock, down the steep mountain side, I said within myself ‘‘and ever thus will I follow Jesus my Guide, my Burden-bearer. I will cast all my care upon Him, for He careth for me.’’—Sarah I, Smiley. Sharper Than a Two-edged Sword. A steamboat captain was fond of ridiculing the Scriptures and making fun of religion and its professions. He was a confirmed infidel. He took special delight in uttering his senti- ments in the presence of ministers of the gospel. On one of his trips, there was on board an ex- cellent minister of Christ, who had the courage to sit down and talk with this sceptic. - The special subject of conversation was the impossibility of miracles. The minister, after patiently hearing him, said: “Captain, did you ever read the New Testa- ment?”’ . “No; I can’t say I ever did. parts of it.’’ “Will you promise me you will read it all through, and then I'll discuss any subject on which you have doubts?’”’ This was said in a kind, persuasive tone, and the captain replied: “T will.”’ The minister then went to his trunk and pre- sented a copy of the New Testament to the cap- tain, who again assured him that he would read it all through. Thus they parted. After some weeks, the minister had occasion to travel on the same boat, and soon sought out the captain, whose countenance and manner were entirely changed. After the warm greeting and salutation, the minister inquired about his reading the book. “Ah, sir!’ said he, ‘I had not read far be- fore I felt I was a guilty sinner, and that I needed just such a friend as Jesus, the Son of God. I was.enabled to cry with the publican, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner,’ and with the blind beggar of Jericho, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.’ And I can now trust in that Jesus, and love him, whom I once de- spised.’’ The joy of this minister of Christ can better be imagined than described. The captain be- came a devout Christian, and lived long to tell to others, ‘‘what a dear Saviour he had found.” —Sailor’s Magazine. I’ve read A New Creature. A Scotch girl was converted. When asked if her heart was changed, her beautiful answer was, ‘Something I know is changed; it may be the world, it may be my heart. There is a great change somewhere, I am sure, for every- thing is different from what it once was.” A very apt commentary on the passage, ‘‘There- fore if any man be in Christ he is a new creat- ure; old things are passed away; behold, all ae were it not for the Gospel carry them, nor even the right.” I saw it all|things are become new.”