The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1923, Page 70

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70

The Lutheran Pioneer.

came to him and asked to be prepared for Baptism.
His wish was granted, and at his baptism he was
given the name Antonio. Not very long after his
baptism his father was deposed, and Antonio be-
came his successor. A few days after his accession
to the throne, Antonio started on a trip through
his villages. Wherever he went, he spoke kindly
to his people and admonished them to live honestly
and lovingly together. Such behavior on the part
of a king was a marvel to the people, and they said
to one another, “What is the meaning of all this?
‘Before this the king robbed us of our crops and

him, the Gospel gave him a new view of life and
new ideas as to the shameful corruption of an Afri-
can court.

Now, not long ago, the old king was ousted, and
the popular ery was, “José shal] be our new king.”
At the time when the courtiers came to invite him
to the vacant throne, he was sick in bed; but when
he heard them coming, he gathered all his strength,
got up from his sick-bed, and hid in the tall corn
of his garden, where they could not find him. Ie
knew how wicked and immoral African court life

is, and would have nothing of it. Ife, too, later

A Native Village on the Congo.

stole our goats and wives. This new king, however,
treats us kindly and touches nothing that is ours.”
_ But while this greatly pleased the common
people, the members of the new king’s court were
much dissatisfied, since the new king had no due
regard for them and their profit. Soon Antonio
was obliged to leave the throne as a result of the
courtiers’ plotting. But far from being disappointed
at this change of his fortune, he rejoiced to be rid
of his burden and came to work in the mission. —
José, another convert of a royal family, in his
early days had had ambitions some day to occupy
the throne of his native land and to wear the royal
crown. However, before the opportunity came to

came to the mission, secking refuge there from the
men who would make him king.

Thus, in their way, did these African princes
bring the same sacrifice which Moses brought when
he tuimed his back upon the splendors and glories
of the Bgyptian court and cast his lot with the
despised people of God. F. J. 1.

An Appeal.

: By the time this number of the PronrEn gets
into the hands of its readers, our Luther College,
Immanuel College, and the Teachers’ Training-