, 1874-04-01
H ASHANTEE AFRICANS.

Like people who frequent sconces, the
natives of Africa are in constant inter
course with, as they suppose, the beings
Of another world. Both classes of thinkers
interpret phenomena which they do not
understand as being caused by invisible
powers. In both cases the same fami-
liarity exists between the believer and the
phantom cf his brain. The London Spi-
r~itualist is e~quaIIed by the Fantee, who
when he takes up his gourd of palm wine
throws a little on the ground and tells his
tuteIary god to take a drink. Scepticism
is unknown in savage life a man may
neglect the gods, refuse to give them sG-
critics., or even defy their power, but he
never ceases to believe in their existence F.:
aud if be has a sickness or misfortune he
at once imputes it to the Offended delties,
makes them presents, and prays them to
forgive him. The African has a theology,
but no religion. He believes in certain
gods who have owe over him; he attri-
butes to them a human disposition; he
regards them precisely as t|yranical chief
tains or kings. He will tell you that some
of them are good, but not all good, for they
can be offended; and some of them are bad,
but not all bad, for their malignant temper
can be propitiated. Pure d~evil-worship
exists only in the plains of Babylon; but
the African so far worship the principle of
evil that they offer up more prayers and
sacrifices to he bad gods than to the good
ones, Just as they would pay more tribute
to a tyrant than to a benevolent King. AS
a subject, the African savage has no loyal
ty; he pays taxes simply from fear; and
so it is with his religion. But, as with a
higher race, the holy and @virtuous senti-
ment of loyalty is exalted to the religious
sentiment, SO the cardinal virtue of the
savage-domestic affcction-extends be-
yond the limits of life and the visible
world. Among civilized nations we find
examples Of maternal and fiiaI love which
cannot be surpassed, but it would be in
correct to say that with us relations always
love one another. In savage lie 1t IS very
different; the members of the same family
or even of the same clan, are united by Q
strange fidelity. To others they may be
treacherous, dishonest, barbarous, but to
one another they are afectionate and true.
The African loves those who belong to his
family, and this affection does not perish
with the life of those on whom it is be-
slowed. When a man dies he is often
buried in the house where he was accus-
toned to dwell. His relatives do not think
Of him as a worm ea%ten-body, but as an
aerial soul that fits around them and keeps
them company. Often they set aside
something for him to eat, or a bowl OF
palm wine; for they believe that the food
has a soul or essence of which the spirit
partakes while the body of the food decays,
Just as the body of the man decays. If
you tell an African-attempt to disturb so
simple and pleasing a taith2-that the
souls of the dead are far away, he will
shake his head and smile with superior wis
dom, and tell you of visions he has seen in
the night and of sounds that have ALLEN on
his ears. Besides, does he not know that
the loved ones are around him? Does he
not feel that they are there? He suffers not
any solitude, for when he has no human
companion the spirits of the dead are by
his side, and he signs to them ofhis sorrows
and his Joys. Such is the religion of the
savage-not the mercenary worship of the