The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1928, Page 44

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44

THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

guard of the interests of the wife. But upon no
grounds, social or moral, could such a practise be
defended. It is inimical to the true morality of
marriage and consequently to the progress of
the race.

It is no uncommon thing to find gray-headed
old men, with half a score of wives already, choosing,
bidding for, and securing, without their wives’ con-
sent, the young girls of the tribe.

Disparity of age, emotions, and associations
make such unions anything but happy, and nowhere
do quarrels and witchcraft foment more surely than
in a polygamous household.

A man’s wives are not all located in one village.
He may have several villages, and from neglect
young wives are subject to many grievances and
temptations, so that it is no wonder they age in
appearance so rapidly.

They are often maltreated by the senior wives,
who, jealous of them, bring charges against them,
and in the hour when they should have the joy of
expected motherhood, they are cast aside under
some foul charge without human aid or sympathetic
care. On more than one occasion I have been called
by a weeping mother to give aid to her daughter
in such circumstances, where, if a fatal issue re-
, sulted, she and her family would have been taken
in slavery and their possessions confiscated. Flip-
pant writers on such customs, especially some writers
who had not the opportunity of becoming acquainted
with the people, state that polygamy is, in savage
state, where there is an absence of higher motives,
a safeguard of morality. It is, however, far from
being so. Men with several wives, and many of
the wives of polygamists, have assignations with
members of other families.

I have been told by serious old men that such
is the state of family life in the village that any
man could raise a case against his-neighbor at any
time, and that is one reason why friendliness appears
so marked among them —each has to bow to the
other in fear of offending him and leading to reve-
lations that would rob him of all.

Among the Wild Ngoni.

One of the Suffering Girl Mothers
of India.

__~ A Christian mission-worker in India gives the
following account concerning the treatment of one
of the girl mothers in India: —

_ “One evening as the khansamah, cook, was leay-

.

ing, he added to his good night the request that he be
allowed to bring his brother’s wife to the dispensary
on the morrow to see me for advice. The morning
dawned, one of India’s delightful mornings.

“The beautiful blue sky, with the accompaniment
of the singing of birds, was indeed beautiful. The
attendance at the dispensary was extra large that
day. When the usual singing and explanation of
God’s Word were over, we started to attend to the
many varied requirements of the patients. As the
numbers gradually dispersed, the khansamah ap-
peared and announced that he had brought his rela-
tive along.

“I went out to see and found an ekka standing
there. I will try to describe this conveyance. It is
like a box platform, fitted on two wheels, and there
is a kind of pole fixed, where curtains are attached.
The people use this kind of conveyance a great deal
because the women of India have to be in purdah so
frequently.

“Well, after drawing the curtains aside, there
I saw a sight that must really make one’s heart ache:
one of India’s young mothers, a girl of fifteen years
of age, and her one-year-old baby with her.

“The imploring pitiful eyes as she saw me look-
ing at her sad condition! How she just begged me
to do something for her! This poor woman had been
living in one of the villages near by here, and, oh,
what treatment they are subjected to at a time when
they certainly require the very best care and atten-
tion. It is too difficult for me to describe.

“The condition of this little mother was brought
on by the treatment she received when her little baby
was born. For one whole year she had not been able
to walk about, but had to be carried about from
place to place. After carefully examining the little
mother, I advised the relatives to take her to the big
hospital near here. After much talk over the matter
the husband, who was present said that, if I wrote
a chit,.a letter, he would take her.

“Coming to that decision means much; for these
poor people do not understand what benefit they will
receive if they just break through their caste. The
Bible woman then encouraged the little mother and
gave her and her relatives some tracts, and they went
to the hospital. The girl mother was admitted as an
in-patient, and after a few weeks her husband was
able to take her home. I hear, through our khan-
samah, that the little woman is now able to get about
her little home and attend to her household duties.

“Through this little incident the precious Lord
has opened a way for Himself and His Word into
that village.”