The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1894, Page 15

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Heathen Superstition.

_ A traveler depicts the following heart-
rending scene, which occurred in western
Africa, and of which he was an eye-witness.
A young chief, by the name of Mpomo, had
died. A celebrated medicine-man was engaged
to discover the person who had bewitched the
chief and thus caused his death. For two days
ts and two nights the dark and mysterious prep-
arations were in progress. Finally on the third
day, when the excitement had reached-the
highest pitch, the doctor gathered the people
together in a central place in the town and
performed his concluding incantations. Every-
body was armed, and every countenance be-
trayed the determination to mete out bloody
vengeance upon those whio should be revealed
as the murderers of the deceased. The sor-
cerer waved his hand over the excited multi-
tude, and death-like stillness ensued. Then
the loud, shrill voice of the doctor resounded:
“There is a very black girl, who- lives in a
house’’— (describing the same)—‘‘she be-
witched Mpomo.’’ He had hardly spoken the
words, when the assembled mob, yelling and
howling like a pack of wild beasts, rushed off
to the designated place and seized a poor girl,
Okandaga by name, the sister of my good
friend and guide, Aduma. Brandishing their
weapons.over the head of the unfortunate girl,
they dragged her down to the river. Here she
was quickly bound with ropes, and then they

all ran back to the medicine-man.
Again there was hushed silence, and the
demon-like voice of the magician sounded forth

anew: ‘‘There is an old woman, living in such | ~

and such a house, she bewitched Mpomo.’’
Again the people rushed away. This time they
came to a niece of the king, a large-hearted
and truly majestic old lady. While her mur-
derers surrounded her with flashing eyes and
threats of death, she calmly arose from the
floor and looked them in the face without
a sign of fear. - She too was escorted to the
river bank; but they did not bind her. Not
a tear came to her eye, nor a single prayer for
mercy upon her lips.

The voice of the sorcerer rang for the third
time over the silent multitude: ‘There is a
woman with six children; she lives on a plan-
tation toward the rising of the sun; she too
bewitched Mpomo.”? Again the people broke
out in wild howling, and in a short time a
good and respected woman, aslave of the king,
with whom I was personally acquainted, was
dragged to theriver. The medicine-man now
went with the multitude to the bank of the
river, where the victims were. With a loud
voice he rehearsed the crimes, of which, as he
claimed, the unfortunate women were guilty.
Upon every new accusation the people broke
forth into curses and imprecations. Itseemed
as though each wished to surpass the other,
for every one feared, that, if he should appear

- indifferent or sympathetic, a similar lot might
befall him. The victims were now. placed in

a large boat, together with the executioner,
the medicine-man, and a body of armed men.
Amid the beating of drums the poisoned
draught, which was to prove the guilt or in-
nocence of the accused, was prepared. Quabi,
the oldest brother of the deceased Mpomo,
held the cup. The latter was now handed
first to the old slave, then to the king’s niece,
and lastly to poor Okandaga. While they were
drinking the multitude screeched: ‘If they
are witches, let the draught kill them; but if
they are innocent, let it pass from them!”’
It was the most tumultuous and awful scene
that I ever witnessed. The stillness of death
hung over the place. Suddenly the aged slave
swooned. But before her body had reached
the bottom of the boat her head was cut off.
Then the royal niece began to faint. Her head
was severed from the body, and her blood dyed
the water of the river. Meanwhile poor Okan-
daga also began to stagger. She strove to re-
main erect and, amid weeping and wailing,
tried to resist and overcome the effect of the
poison. But finally she too fell, and instantly
her head was cut off. -The people dispersed,
and for the remainder of the day the town
was quiet. In the evening my friend Aduma,
whose sister was among the victims, said to
me with tears: ‘*O Shelly (Du Chaillu), when
you go back to your fatherland, then tell your
Sriends to send men to us poor people, who shall
teach us out of the Book which you call the mouth
of God.’’ He meant the Bible. I promised
to fulfill his request. And I now do it here
in public.
——» +o o> oe

He Slept Well.

He was a stranger in the city, and had-ar-
rived by the evening train. Tired and dusty
he hurried to the principal hotel, and was dis-
appointed at not being able to secure a room.
The hotel was filled to overflowing with cots
in the parlors, all engaged. A great conven-
tion was in session in the city ; and as he went
to the other hotels he found the same difficulty ;
not a room, not even a cot could he secure. At
last, at a third-rate hotel, he found he could
secure a bed ina double room: He tried to
hire both beds, so that he could have the whole
room, not liking the idea of a room-mate in
such a place. But the other bed had been
hired, and so he was obliged to take his
chances. He went upstairs, and after re-
tiring, concluded that he would not go to
sleep—at least not until he had seen what
kind of a man was to occupy the other bed.
In order to keep awake, as he was both tired
and sleepy, he took out his pocket Bible and
soon became deeply interested in a Bible read-
ing that had lately attracted his attention. He
was engaged in this study when the door sud-
denly opened, and in came the stranger who
was to be his room-mate for the night. The
man, as he entered, gave a sharp glance at
him, and then went across the room and pre-
pared for bed. Looking over the top of his

aa The Lutheran Pioneer. 15

Bible, he quietly studied the stranger. ‘The
man appeared to be a quiet person and seemed
to be honest. Still he hesitated about trust-
ing a stranger and began to make calculations
about keeping awake.
mind, for he saw the stranger, who was ready
to retire, quietly kneel down in 2 manner that
showed it to be a familiar custom, and engage
in prayer. That was enough, he put the Bible
under his pillow, and went off himself into
quiet, refreshing sleep. In the morning, while
they were dressing, he turned to the stranger,

and explaining the circumstances of the past
evening, said:

But he changed his

‘*So I slept well.’’
The stranger listened attentively, and then

said:

x

“T slept well, too. -I had not expected to

sleep at all in this place with one I did not
know in the other bed, but when I came in so
suddenly, and found you reading your Bible,
I concluded I could trust that book, and so
said my prayers and went to sleep.”’ :

It is a glorious truth that man trusts his

fellow-man who believes and trusts in the
living God, and who accepts, trusts and obeys
the Bible.
sesses such a character, and so carries in itself
the proof of a divine origin and living power?
God’s Word in the hearts of men means, in-
deed, ‘‘Peace on earth.’’— Selected.

Is there any other book that pos-

——_>—~+o-< oe > oe

The Best Passport.

' Some years ago, a father and mother set

out from their little home in Germany to look
for better fortunes in America. Settling in
St. Louis, they worked hard and before very
long had saved money enough to send for the
three children who had been left behind. But
how were they to come? The cost prevented
father or mother from going to bring them,
and the friend with whom they had been stay-
ing could find no one to take them in charge.
And they were such tiny travelers—the oldest

but ten, and the youngest only four—to start
on the long journey alone, and with no lan-
guage but their childish German! But there
was no other way. In his’ perplexity their
friend bethought him of what proved to be as
safe a convey as little pilgrims ever had. He
provided them with a copy of the New Testa-
ment, and impressed upon them that in any
case of questioning or trouble, they must open
it and point to its flyleaf. On the leaf he
wrote, very plainly, the children’s name and
their destination, and below, the words: ‘‘In-
asmuch as ye have done it unto one of the

least of these, ye have done it unto me.?’ The

children did exactly as they had been told,
and under the protection of the promise they
made their journey and came safe and happy
to their new home. Sy ;
+ a oe 0 ee
Wuen the heart is occupied with Christ it
has neither taste nor eye for the trash of the

gay world. ‘The question as to whether there
be harm in this or that, becomes’ puerile.

ross x

fee) see