The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1929, Page 189

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

THE LUTHERAN PIONEER. 189

by a deadly puff-adder, or some mysterious disease
breaks out among the cattle — all these accidents of
life are attributed, not to natural causes, but to
magic practised by some wizard or witch. If the
victim was fortunate enough to escape with a maul-
ing, it was obviously due to some powerful charm he
was wearing at the time. If death resulted, it is
proof positive that the charm was not strong enough
to resist the evil power of the wizard.

“The strength of this fear of magic is amazing,
and often it lingers in the hearts of men and women
who have come under the influence of education and
Christianity. Often the missionary finds it linger-
ing among his converts. We need not be altogether
surprised at this, for there used to be a similar be-
lief in England, and even so late as the eighteenth
century old women were burned alive on charge of
witchcraft.

“It sometimes happens that there is great ex-
citement in the kraal. -The chief is dead; no
animal killed him, no foe slew him — he just died.
What could be clearer proof of magic? The witch-
doctor is called to discover the wizard or witch who
has done this evil deed. The whole population of the
village is assembled just outside the kraal, sitting on
the ground in a circle. The witch-doctor (some-
times called the medicine-doctor), decked out for
the occasion in skins of animals, wild-cats’ tails,
bladders, feathers, and any other thing he can get
hold of, examines the corpse, smells it, dances round
it, and sometimes whispers — or yells —to it such
questions as, ‘Who did it? Tell me, O chief, who
bewitched you? Who was it that killed you? Ah!
Ah!—it was — —. Then, grasping his magic
stick, he springs out of the hut, and with capers,
leaps, and dances, as unlike any human movements
as possible, he bounds into the circle of waiting and
fearful people. He dances round, waving his arms
and stick, while his assistants beat on drums; the
ring is scarce large enough for his performances.
Then, dropping down upon hands and knees, he
pretends to ‘smell out’ the evil-doer. He crawls
from one person to another, making a noise which is
suggestive of smelling. It may be that he sincerely
believes in this power of scent; but it can hardly be
doubted that in not a few cases he is bribed to de-
nounce some person who is unpopular or is an object
of jealousy or personal hate. Be that as it may,
a victim is at last pounced upon and proclaimed to
be the guilty party. 3

“hen follows the trial by ordeal. In many
cases it is the poison cup; in others it is a test such
as picking a pebble from a caldron of boiling water,

walking with bare feet over white-hot stones, hold-
ing on to red-hot spears, or perhaps it is some even
more revolting test. The result of the ordeal is
almost certain to be acclaimed as convincing proof
of the guilt of the accused, and the punishment is
death, often in some slow and terrible form, but
sometimes instant and merciful. Terrible indeed
has been the toll of human life taken by witchcraft
and the ordeal. Happily, with the extension of
white rule, such customs give place to judicial in-
quiry and trial in accordance with the usage of all
civilized nations; but the old custom still prevails
over wide areas of Africa, and it is to be feared that
it is still occasionally practised in secret in ter-
ritories nominally under European rule. As recently
as 1923 two men in the Transvaal were sentenced to
death for burning a supposed witch.

The Rain-Maker.

“In many parts of South Africa the rainfall is
low and uncertain. Often large tribes maintain a
precarious existence; when the rain fails, rivers run
dry, their crops wither, their cattle die, and they
themselves are reduced almost to the point of starva-
tion. Under such conditions the professional rain-
maker is called for; it is confidently believed that
he has power to influence the clouds and bring the
much-needed rain, and chief and people call upon
him to use his magic art for the deliverance of the
tribe. Often one individual combines the’ two of-
fices of witch-doctor and rain-maker; and some-
times he also assumes the réle of .prophet and
pretends to solve mysteries and reveal secrets. The
methods of the rajn-makers vary, but all are bar-
barous and often cruel. Not infrequently there is
a smelling-out ceremony, and some one is accused of
driving away the rain. The punishment is probably
death or, if the region is one under effective
European control, heavy fines of cattle or other
goods. It is around such a magic-monger, witch-

- doctor, medicine-man, or rain-maker that the every-

day religion of the Southern Bantu tribes largely.
centers.” ‘

Ona Cooley.

Ona was an Apache girl who attended the board-
ing-school at Whiteriver, Ariz. She was getting an
education. She tried hard to obtain it. She came
to school to Zearn. She did not just put in her time,
as so many do. For that reason she was well liked
by every one. She never caused her teachers or
matrons any trouble. For that reason, too, she made
good progress.