, 1888-12-15

NY HdUltS, tastes anu SruulpS, or VINO ldu
carefully read any of my writings, would
conclude that Ihad turned Mohammedan.
l believe that the Christian is the highest
type of mau. But nave lived many years
in Africa, have travelled in it. and have
tried to keep ny eyes open. / have writ
ten Ut what | know. and testified Of what I
have seen, from which it has been hastily
inferred that | have become an admirrr
and adherent of Islam. | have never any
where in ms writings compared or cou.
traSted the doctrines Of the two systems.
have dealt Only with their practical results.
through the professors or each, for the
African at home. And [ know that oHt.
side OF Liberia, Christianity Is making vgty
little impression upon the natives; bat
that on the contrary, the lives aud aHiouS
Of its representatives from abroad, who are
often persons of political and commercial
influence, are doing a great deal TO impair
whatever favorable impression the isolated
missionary may produce.
In the mind of he natives the practices
OF civilization, so called. are ~coufounded
with, or looked upon a., ifnot The result of,
at least, not contrary to, Christianity. In
deed, when one sees the reckless proceed
ings Of Europeans in Africa, it is sometimes
difficult to believe that civilization, if
these men are its genuine products and
proper representatives, is not a failure.
The educated Christian manor rather
Teputed Christian man-wheu away from
the restraints Of his country'S laws, seems
a much harder being at heart than the SO
called savage whom he deNpiSeS and dcS-
troyS with drink aud life bullets.
(hriStian missionaries both drploTe
and suffer from these exhibitions on the
part Of heir countrymen aud p GtesSors of
the religion hey leach bat they can do
nothing.
|frourS" no thinking native, with the
lea I instruction, Will hold Christianity re
:, poh. lille for these things. The Christian
native knows thar the INSPIRED records of
the religion and The standard Of Chi>tin
morality says: "Hp thar ha h nor The spi.
rit of Christ is none OF IIiS; "WhoSoevrr
dOeth not righteousness is nor of God, uri-
Their he that loveth not his brothrr.' But
. the great mass Of the heather, who AZ ira
,lcrS come into contact with M~phammrdln
TRADERS and Christian merchants, cannot
help contrasting the conduct ct The two
classes Of their customers, and having no
knowledge of the sacred records OF either.
jldgp of the religions from the lives OF
their professors. The Christian away f ON
European settlements, and often in the set
Elements, seems t. hr al large from any
laws Of God 81 society. He rarnlY in town.
SabN uVNCi dNhA mum t'N II, = yes any Nitt
OF 3 religious belief or rrli Ious obligation.
Livery day to HIM is Tie same No time or
hour is sac ed. The Mohammedal trader.
ON the other hand, when HE hour of pray
or arrives, breaks off from any business to
go to his drvotlonS and nothing can keep
him from the mosque on Friday, The pagan
native concludes, therefore. that the reii
gion of the white man is 10 teach HIM to
make money aud get rich, while the reIi4i.
on OF the Mohammedan is to make Inn
holy and take hIm to heaven.
Liberia, by lis settlements of Christian
Negroes, not living as adventures bent on
making money at all hazards 10 retire from
the country as soon rs possible, but return
ed exileS anxious to build mp the waste Of
their fatherland and strive to make a per.
pttual Christian nome for themselves and
their descendants, is the only so called
civilized cou1 ry OH the Coast which is
making a favorable and permanent i'm
preston upon the Il iheS the only country
where the deceEcieS of a { hriStiam civilizl-
ton are enforced 10y law and conformrd to
by ruler aud people; and | cannot under.
4 amt why Americans are as a rule so
practically Indifferent to this infant com
munity struggling to "h0ld the fort" against
fearful odds, for Christianity and a Chris
49,