six feet high, and had a sort of caross or cloak loosely wrapped about his body. His mark of distinction was a string of teeth, belonging to some animal, fastened round his head.' The rite of circumcision had just been practised on a number of youths, and they were engaged in a dance, but such a dance as we never before saw. Their bodies were made white with a kind of pipe-clay, and around their waists were tied a string of palm-leaves which formed a sort of fringe a foot in length. They danced for hours under a burning sun, and, when exhausted, went into their huts. This rite is common among all the Kafir tribes, and is deemed of such importance that in the event of the father's death, the sons who have not submitted to it, have no right or title to his property. After a youth is circumcised he is no longer a boy, but a man, and may take up his assigai and go out to war. The origin of the rite it is difficult to account for, but some have supposed that the Kafirs are partly of Arab descent and that it has come down to them from that remarkable people. The attempts made by the missionaries to set it aside as a debasing and licentious practice have hitherto met with but little success, yet there is no doubt that, with all other heathen customs, it will retire before the genial influence of Christian truth. In another part of his letter Mr Pearse observes 'I have seen Pato the chief. Mr Shaw said to : HEATHENISM. 53 him, 'Now you see how many of my friends have come over the great waters, and they will be here ten days longer they cannot live without food.' The chief said I will go home and assemble my children, and tell them their father (meaning Mr Shaw) wants food, and they must send him something.' He then rode off with two of his attendants and a day or two after he returned with a fine cow.' With all that he saw and heard, on this his first visit to a heathen station, Mr Pearse was deeply affected. 'O the loss of the society of my Christian friends in my native land! O the solitude of a missionary's life in Kafirland! O the scenes of darkness and of woe that come before us! Ye happy Cornish Methodists, especially ye kind and devoted Bodmin Methodists pray for us ;-never, never forget us.' The perils of the sea through which he had passed were nothing in comparison with the perils among the heathen which he now anticipated, and if ever he was tempted to waver it was just as the District Meeting was fixing his appointment for the interior of Kafirland. But waver he did not. He had counted the cost, and though he could not, when in England, possibly foresee the future, or form any conception of what a missionary's trials in South Africa were, now that they began to present themselves before him he was prepared to encounter them with a genuine heroism, and whatever they might prove to be, to do battle with them even unto death. Whoever contemplates entering on the work of a Christian missionary should be prepared to meet with some few hardships. I have said, and I repeat it, that it is really no great sacrifice to go to Southern Africa as a herald of the cross; yet trials it involves which may prove somewhat weighty, and hence a truly Christian courage is essential for the enterprise, -a courage which, when difficulties previously unthought of first appear, will not be daunted, but will bravely face them however formidable and great. But our young men must get thoroughly inspired with this courage ere they bid adieu to friends and home. The moral and spiritual qualifications of a missionary are not to be gained on the voyage out, nor will they spring up in the breast, by some sudden inspiration, upon his landing on a foreign shore. They must be obtained, in the first instance, in his father-land, and then fostered and matured as he prosecutes his work, that so, as years roll on, and one unforeseen obstacle after another presents itself before him, he may be able to meet it with unwavering faith, and to conquer it with holy zeal. Speed Thy servants, Saviour, speed them! They were bound, but Thou hast freed them, Be Thou with them, "Tis Thine arm alone that saves. When they reach the land of strangers, Hear their sighs, and count their tears. When they think of home now dearer Bring the promised glory nearer; Rest from toil, and weep no more! -THOMAS KELLY. |