Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-03-01

Rather zimmerman, returned missiou
ary, from equatorial Africa, says there is
an almost universal custom OF making Id
man sacrifices to The idols or fetiches OF the
different tribes. Father Zimmerman bas
himself Witnessed the preparations Tor
these horrible orgies. but was compelled to
withdraw before the slaug liter commenced,
not, however, sufficiently far to be out OF
earshot of the bloodcurdling shrieks OF the
wretched victims. He showed several pic
lures, copies of those taken on the spot by
one of the fathers, who Is an artist. In one
Of these weird works of art the human
sacrifice is Represented In fearfully mutt
lated condition. The head having been
completely severed from the body, is nailed
hign up on the trunk of palm tree, the
feet OF the body are nailed just under II,
and the stomach and chest are ripped open,
the skin being pinned back by IRON skew
ers. At the right Of the picture sits the
fetch, with the still palpitating human
heart laid before it. Another picture. the
original scene of which was actually Wit
messed by the father, portrays the tall
trunk of palm tree bending towaid the
earth, having suspended at Its extremity
the writhIng body of a human being towards
whom are burrying several vultures, buz-
yards, and other besstly birds OF carrlon.
Another picture represents human holo-
caust. the black iends are heaplng on
the gathered fuel more palm oil, the lurid
flame and dense smoke leap up toward
heaven like the reek OF hell. Thousands
of human lives are annually thus sacrificed
and the missionaries are powerless to stop
the carnage.
On one occasion several of the fathers
stationed at the mission Of Adjaje while
walking with the pupils Of their school
discovered small hut in the woocs short
distance from the mission house. Curious
to know who inhabited so queer struc
ture, the missionaries entered the place
and were horrified to discover the body of
full grown man nailed head downward
to beam. Horrlfied beyond description
the fathers fled the spot, and becoming IA
tigued, shortly afterward sat down In the
shade to rest Scarcely had their little
party been seated than a great shouting
and rush of feet wese heard in the aGjoin-
ing wood. Presently number of savages
appeared, dragging young grrl by the feet
on the same footpath they we're about to
take. 1he savages ran as if possessed, and
when the body Of the poor girl was nearly
torn to pieces they left it hanging TO tree
before an idol.
The most bitter opponents of the Chris
tan missionaries are the idolatrous priests,
the upper class of whom form a perfect
caste, transmitting their faculties from
father TO son. These poor barbarisns pre-
serve the vague tradition of one god,
named Olleron, who created the world, and
was good to men, but becoming angry, he
went away be hind the clouds, and hence
:orth concerned himself no mole with hu
manity. The tribes have, therefore, trans
ferred their allegiance to second Glass
Of gods, whom they style "Oreesha." OF
these they treasure perfect mythology.
The gods to whom they make human sac
rifices are: Shongo, the god of war, an
idol formed of iron; Elecbs, the unhappy
god or devil, presented In clay; Oggun,
the god of water, and several others. At
Adjaje, where he was staying for some
tine, Father Zimmerman at one time saw
no less than six victims, all bound -eaiy
for sacrifice. lie quickly retired to the
mission house hard by. but even there the
horid yells penetrated, as he fell on his
knees to ask Gods pardon for the act.
The present king of Dahomey, named
Toffa, has been warned by the English to
discontinue the practice, and he now hes
itates to perpetrate the horrid act publicly,
| but it is still carried on at night. The
missionaries have to be very careful in
speaking against the act, as open opposl-
| ton would be suicidal on their part, and at
once put stop to their work. They study
medicine, and practice gratulJouslv. They
Ssir the confidence of the native by receiv-
| Ing the sick into their hospitals, and taking
charge Of old and worn out ssvages.
These poor old people are thrown out
of the huts and allowed 10 starve To death.
The missionaries also buv numbers of chill
dren exposed for sale In the regular slave
trade. When the tribal chiefs are unable
to obtain captIves in their raids upon rival
tribes, they buy these children and slaugh-
ter them instead. The unfortunate little
ones have learned from experience that
the white men will not kill them; and con-
seauently when they appear In the market
they are Immediately assailed by piteous
cries; "Obi RAM! OBI rQnii? white
man, buy me. White man, buy me. "
And they buy them to the extent of their
limited finances. The missionaries usually
pick out boys and girls of about six ID
eight years of age, take them to the Chris
tian colonies and train them until they are
old enough to marry. Some pictures
shown to the Gazette man of these Chris
"A har ~ T,,,,
ny. One young gentlemen In very scant
blanket, but crowned with an exceedingly
battered stovepipe hat, seemed TO be fully
impressed with the imposing dignity of his
newly donned custom. Hundreds Of these
children are bought up by the Catholic
missionaries every year They pay for
them In cJuries or sea shells, old guns and
glass. The price fuctustes from the value
of So up to SIS.