Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1857-05-15
Central Africa.

4 The work on Central Africa, by Re,
r I. j. Bowen, has met with general favol
, and the first edition was speedily exhau:
/ ted. MIR. Bowcn's visit to this countr
, has resulted in great good, and is calculu
ted not only to promote missionary opera
tions in Africa, but also to enlarge tn
) commercial relations between the Unite
. States and Africa. Mr. Bowen was a,
other in the Texan war, but has spen
many years in the interior of Africa as
Missionary. He speaks of African com
merce Gs destined to become a powerful
instrument in the civilization and couver
sion of the continent. "The single arti
Gle of palm oil, has no assiguable limit, a
regards either the production or consump
tiOn." But the internal wealth of Afric;
is vastly superior to that of the coast. Ii
every thing, except rice and palm oil, Su
dan has the advantage of Guinea. Th,
air is more salubrious; the people art
more civilized, and are superior as a race
Here are millions of people, every
one of whom may have something to sell
and desires something to buy. The cara.
van trade across thousand miles of des
ert, is computed at several millions oil
pounds sterling"
Mr.. Bowen assures US that in Central
Africa, 6" the industry of the people is one
of the most remarkable facts which have
been brought to light" by his acquaintance
with the country. "It is a land withou,
vagrants," "Ths blacksmith, the weav-
er, the farmer, in short, every body, male
and female, has something to do, and their
markets are always abundantly supplied
with every home production"
The Majestic Niger, "the Mississippi
Of Africa" flows through the heart of Su.
dan. The Delta Is sickly, but may be
. passed in a short time by steamer.
Mr.. Bowen says: "We have lived in
unlocked houses and have travelled far and
near through the country, and have ever
felt as secure in our persons and property
as if iu America"
The missionary operations in Centra.
Africa, in connection with the Board of
Foreign Missions of the Southern Baptist
Convention" are full Of promise. Rev.
w. II. Clarke writes " Yoruba, in its
moral aspect, presents n field truly inter
esting. We have heathenism here in ma
ny forms, but It seems to be a peculiar
heathenism Idols, sacrifices and charms,
are the consoling hope aud support of ev-
cry class. The popularity of their heath
enism is, that it places every idol in a su-
bordinate position to the Deity, WHO uses
them as meditators, to reconcile sin-aven-
ging God. The account given BY them
of their idols is, that God made them in
the beginning, with their mediatorial po-
si,ion, as being suitable to the black man,
while another dispensation has been con-
ferred on the white man. In their con-
fessions, whatever may be their practice,
they acknowledge the impoteucy Of their
false deities, that they have no saving
power, and ascribe to God the creation Of
all things, and all perfection. Numerous
are the idols worshiped. Orisha seems
to be both general and specific name for
idol, so that nearly all their worship may
be denominated Orisha worship.
The Supreme Being occupies an impor-
tant position in their religious creed. 1t
is astonishing to hear some of their re-
marks while speaking on this subject.
Their own language would stamp them as
peculiar heather.
Affairs of stone are to be seen in places
where parts of sacrifices are deposited.
They seem to think these sacrifices have
an atoning merit. Hence it will be per-
ceiyed how similar their creed to the Jew.
ish ceremonials. An acknowledgment of
sin is common. Here are idolatry and
the corrupted truths of religion, both op-
Grating on the same minds. No wonder,
then, that from one standpoint, We feel
cheered and elated, while We see the ennis
sion of some true light like fire struck from
the finty rock, while at another view,
the soul sinks as it beholds the eorrup-
ton ofdepraved nature. Such comming-
led results may be seen in social, domss.
tic and civil life.
Mr.. Bowen says ho has " met with sew
eral in Yorubs, who declared that they
had never worshiped an idol. Every
body in that country believes in one true
and living God, Of whose character they
entertain surprisingly correct notions"
LIBERIA.-Advices from the west coast
Of Africa, report the arrival of the new
ship Mary Caroline Stevens, Of Baltimore,
at Monrovis. The Cape Palmas colonists
had fought another battle with the natives,
when over twenty Of the colonists wero
killed. One hundred and sixty men had
sailed from Monroyia in the Stevens to