Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1889-03-07
THE NYANzA REVOLUTION.

THE NYANZA REVOLUTION.
New York T.ibune.
The recent revolution in Uganda
makes most interesting chapter of re-
ligious proselytism. The event was
briefly and imperfeetly chronicled in dis
patches from Zanzibar few weeks ago,
but full details have been supplied by
the report of missionary, the Rev. E.
C. Gordon, to the Church Missionary
Society in England. The downfall of
Mwanga, most brutal and atrocious of
savage despots, was effected by coali
tion of Christian and Mohamedan con-
verts. When the common enemy, the
King, was overthrown, the Arabs in
trigued against their religious rivals, es-
tablished their ascendaney in the new
soYereign's council, and expelled the
Christians. The outcome of these pro-
ceedings was the conversion of popu-
lous pagan region in Mohamedan State
on the headwaters of the Nile.
The narrative is as interesting as a
modern romance. Mwanga was an un-
compromising pagan, who equally de-
tested the rival bodies of religious re-
formers at work in his dominion. After
ordering a general massacre of the Chris
tians in 1886 and threatening to expel
the Arab leaders from the shores of
Victoria Nyanza, he nursed his wrath
for two years and then determined to
destroy each religious community in
turn. He began operations with an
atrocious plot against his household
troops, which were officered and con-
trOlled by Christian converts. Marching
with these troops to the lake, he made
arrangements for their transportation to
an island, where they were to be left to
perish from starvation, their canoes be-
ing stolen by carefully selected body
of unadulterated pagans. This outrage
was to have been followed by an imme-
diate assault upon the Arab converts.
These plots, which were worthy of Nero,
Caligula, or other monsters of the Ro-
man imperial line, were revealed in the
nick of time to the Christian and Mo
hamedan leaders. An alliance was
formed, the capital was occupied by
forces led by converts of the rival faiths,
and Mwanga was driven from the
throne.
The new King, Kiwewa, distributed
the offices with an impartial hand
among the Christians and Moham-
edans, and opened his reign with
large promises of complete religious
liberation. Permission was given for
the erection of a mosque, and all restrie-
tions on the preaching of Christianity
were removed. For several weeks the
congregations at the Sunday mission
services were trebled, and the influence
of the Christian converts steadily in
creased. Meanwhile, the Mohamedan
reformers, alarmed by the progress
made by their rivals, were embittering
the Kings mind and inducing him to
believe that a new revolution was prob
able and his own life in danger. The
Christians were suddenly charged with
instigating a revolt and conspiring with
Mwanga's followers to place a princess
on the throne. The Arab intriguers had
their forces on the ground and compell-
ed their rivals to fight for their lives.
Several Christian leaders were killed and
a general retreat followed to the mission
houses, which were speedily besieged
and sacked. The French priests and
Protestant preachers sought refuge in
mission, and were permitted to depart
for the south shore after receiving strict
injunctions never to return to Uganda.
Their voyage was most disastrous
one, their boat being wrecked by herd
of hippopotamuseS, and the refugees
left at the mercy of natives on one of
the islands: but after a series of hair
breadth escapes they succeededin in reach
ing their destination, and consoled them
selves with the reflection that even st.
Paul had not been exposed to more va
ried perils or more harassing trials in
his famous journey to Rome.
With the abandonment of the Chris
tian missions in Uganda all control over
the most pOpulous and fertile district at
the head of the Nile has passed into Mo
hamedan hands. Unless Emin and STAN
ley are still holding their ground at
Wadelai, Africa, frCm' Khartoum to
Victoria Nyanza, is now dominated by
the Arabs. This new conquest involves
the spread of religious fanaticism over
great centers of population and the re-
Storation of the slave trade in its most
revolving form.