The Press.
London, England, 1857-12-19 00:00:00

THE PRE SS, DECEMBER 19, 1857.

When all knelt down, manj of those who had children,
in following the example of the rest, bent over their little
ones ; the children, in terror of being crushed to death, set
up a simultaneous yell, which so tickled the whole assembly
there was often a subdued titter, to be turned into a hearty
laugh as soon as they heard Amen. This was not so diffi-
cult to overcome in them as similar peccadilloes were in
the case of the women farther south. Long after we had
settled at Mabotsa, when preaching o►► the most solemn
subjects, a woman might be observed to look round, and,
seeing a neighbour seated on her dress, give her a hunch
with the elbow to make her move off; the other would
return it with interest, and perhaps the remark, " Take
the nasty thing away, will you T"lhen three or four would
begin to hustle the first offenders, and the men to swear
at them all, by way of enforcing silence.

This bad habit of bursting out into uncon-
trollable laughter (luring prayers appears to
be a common trick of these savages They
possess a keen sense of the ridiculous, and
the notion of kneeling to an unseen Being
tickles their fancy especially. " I was once
present," says Dr. Livingstone, "when a mis-
" sionary attempted to sing among a wild
" heathen tribe of Bechuanas, who had no
" music in their composition ; the effect on the
" risible faculties of the audience was such that
" the tears actually ran down their cheeks."
They get over this tendency in course of time,
but it does not seem from Dr. Livingstone's
account that generally speaking the prospects
of religious advancement are great, and for
this reason,—the thoughts, such as they are, of
these poor savages are mainly directed to the
supply of their bodily wants. It is hard to
convert a hungry man, and Dr. Livingstone
takes the right view when ho says that in esti-
mating the results of missionary efforts we
should take this element into deep considera-
tion. Be that as it may, there can be no
doubt that by itself Christianity will make its
way but slowly, if it make it at all, in Africa ;
and the advantage to it of commerce is
estimated at its right value by Dr. Livingstone
when he frankly admits that without com-
merce Christianity has but a poor chance in
Africa. Let us once introduce trade and its
advantages among the people, and we shall
see how they will appreciate the benefit of
Christianity when they no longer live a life
of independent poverty. There never was
better material to work upon. Of all races
extant not one surpasses the African in his
passion for trade and his keen perception of
the " main chance." Give them the oppor-
tunity and they will be as industrious as the
Chinese, for they are quite as imitative, if they
are as deficient in originality. On one occa-
sion, Dr. Livingstone relates that a theft was
committed during his stay with a particular
tribe ; the thief was caught and sentenced to
death by the chief. Dr. Livingstone inter-
posed, and suggested that it would be more
advantageous to the community if the thief
should be compelled to work out an equivalent
with his hoe in a garden. The idea, he tells
us, was instantly caught at, and thieves are
now sentenced to raise an amount of corn pro-
portioned to their offences.
With regard to the future Dr. Livingstone
offers us much practical advice. With respect
to the best locality for missionary effort, he
believes that the central interior is far better,
because healthier, than either coast

But I am not to be understood as intimating that any of
the numerous tribes are anxious for instruction : they are
not the inquiring spirits we read of in other countries;
they do not desire the Gospel, because they know nothing
about either it or its benefits ; but there is no impediment
in the way of instruction. Every head-man would be proud
of a European visitor or resident in his territory, and
there is perfect security for life and property all over the
interior country. The great barriers which have kept
Africa shut are the unhealthiness of the coast, and the
exclusive, illiberal disposition of the border tribes. It has
not within the historic period been cut into by deep arms
of the sea, and only a small fringe of its population have
come into contact with the rest of mankind. Race has
much to do in the present circumstances of nations; yet it
is probable that the unhealthy coast-climate has reacted on
the people, and aided both in perpetuating their own
degradation, and preventing those more inland from having
interconree with the rest of the world. It is to be hoped
that these obstacles will be or( rcome by the more rapid
means of locomotion possessed in the present Age, if a good
highway can become available from the coast into the
interior.

Great art, of course, is required in the man-
agement of the people. Success is only to be
gained by persuasion. Nothing must be done
to hurt their sense of independence, and there
must not be the slightest assumption of
superiority. They are apt to resent this, and