The Irish standard., 1890-03-15
A CA RID / | N a rs WORK.
Putting Down the Infamous Traf-
Si &c ia Slaves.

Putting Down the Infamous Traf-
&c in Slaves.
Preaching to the Savage Natives of Afri-
CA Pontifcal Zouave's Infiuence-En-
during All Kinds of Suffering Without
Yielding for {. Single. Day.
Cardinal Lavigerie and his mis-
sionaries are, practically solving the
tWofold problem Of slavery and the
slave trade wherever in Africa they are
allowed to settle in peace and evangei-
iZe the native races There exists great
jealousy, great rivalry and great IN tual
opposit ion among the powers who claim
territorial sovereignty over the hither-
to neglected continent. France and
Portugal, at least, are in no mood to
countenance either Great Britain, or
Germany, or even Italy in it's plans for
colonizing their actual or intended pos
sessions. But the Catholic missionaries,
while Cabinets are planning and Con-
crosses discussing, go to work, preach
the Gospel, tame the savage natives,
ciyilize them, collect them into popu-
lous villages, organize the men into an
armed militia to resist and drive OF the
slave hunters, and to protect the women
and children against those demons IN
human shape.
One of the means suggested by Car
dinal Lavigerie is the eniistlng IN
European countries OF volunteers to put
down this infamous traffic in human
beings. AS he admits, however, it
j ~ Z r. Ion
white troops OF the different nations
into the regions ravaged and cursed by
the slave trade.
Here is what the missionaries have
done in one locality, which, with en-
couragement from the Governments
and the generosity Of Christians, might
be done in every one OF the Christian
settlements. Cardinal Lavigerie speaks:
"a tolmer officer Of the Pontlhcal
Zouaves offered himself to me some
ten years ago, before the powers had,
in tue Congress of Berlin, divided
among themselves the zones of Afri-
can sovereignty and influence. He
wished to accompany my missionaries
30 the other side OF the Great Lakes.
His name is .Joubert. [ DO not hesitate
to write his name, even though his
modesty should be wounded by my
doing SO, were he ever to hear Of it,
He is a hero OF intrepidity. OF devoted
ness, Of superhuman virtue. He has
endured all manner OF suffering with
out ever yielding for single day. He
left Europe at an age which seemed to
forewarn MIN OF terrible trials. Of
Fatal termination even He is now up
ward Of 40 years Of age. Ills moral
courage and the sentiment Of the noble
mission on which he Was bent have
sustained him against every danger,
with yearly budget Of $4,000 for
himself and his soldiers, this admir-
able man has created u Little army OF
300 blacks, for whom we have been
able TO send him arms. His men are
chosen among the neophytes Of our
missionaries. by his sole exer1ions he
has moulded them to discipline, to obe-
aience, to the terrors OF battle. At their
head he has maintained peace and order
In the territory of which he is looked
apon as the father. 70 him the natives
submit all their differences and suits:
around him all take refuge when the
slave hum tiers are abroad. He protects
them against dissension within and all
attacks without He has given his life
to this people, and has established his
home forever among them.
''ouch men are rare. Still they are
to be found. They have applied to me
and to our corresponding committees,
not only in France, but in Germany, in
Belgium, in America, in Spain and
Italy, in every Christian country. Ii,
therefore. the Governments of Europe
wished to employ peaceful force,
which would be al instrument of NOR
alization, to succeed in stopping the
horrors which are defiling the soil of
Africa; if they were not allowed to en-
ploy their regular troops in the interior
Of thu continent, it would be easy for
them, as we'll as much more effective
Cor their purpose, to organize yolun-
teer force like this, which in concert
with the missionaries, would soon con-
stitute native army"
Thus are Cardinal Lavigerie and his
priests solving here and there this APP
parently insoluble problem Let them
and their bre thren only be given coun~
.enance and support, and the problem
of the African slave trade aust soon be
solved peacefully everywhere. Africa
within the twentieth century shall be
Christian.
PRAYER Books for indians.
Father Jerome's Indian prayer book,
compiled for the Sioux, is now in press,