Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-16
OVER In STAELEY'S LAND.
SOME POPULAR IDEAS OF AFRICA Ex.
PLODED TO ATOMS

A Missionary Relates His Experience Of
Seven Years on the Dark Continent
Natives Preaching the Gospel-Churches
BulIr With Crude Implements.
Rev. A. c. Good, who recently returned
from Africa, where he has been engaged in
mission work for the past seven years, de-
livered an instructive lecture in the Third
Presbyterian Church last evening. His
subject was: "Seven Years on the Dark
Continent" and he related many things
entirely unheard OF by his auditors. Rev.
Mr.. Good is a native of Armstrong county,
and was educated at the Western Theologi-
cal Seminary. He returned from Africa
several weeks ago, and will again sail for
the dark continent August %.
Mr.. Good was stationed at the Ogowe
mission, on the Ogowe river. The latter Is
about 55 miles south of the equator, and the
territory supposed to be covered by the mis-
sionary is as far as he can travel by boat.
There are six stations connected with the
missions, and the light of the Gospel is
spread by natives. =,
The missionary began by describing the
country. He said the lowest temperature
was IS and the highest 96 degrees during
his seven years of work among the savages.
Everybody, he said, got the malaria, or
African fever, but he. claimed the fever,
which is spoken of in whispers in this coun-
try, is not a marker to an ordinary Missouri
chill. Only one death occurred among 8 to
II missionaries in the seven years. The
country is not so badly infested with poison
out insects and wild beasts as is popularity
supposed. The worst insects he had to con-
tend against were white ants, which, he
said, were strong and healthy and could go
through more theological lore than any stu
dent he ever knew.
1.-THE people of the country are just as
safe from wild animals as they could be in
this city," the speaker continued. "They
will steal domestic animals left outdoors at
night, but never attack a human being.
These stories you hear and sights you see Of
people who are tattooed, with hair standing
on end and guns in their hands are absurd.
If 1 could take you in my boat up the
Ogowe rever, and give you an opportunity
of seeing the natives, you would have an
entirely different opinion Of them. When
they catch sight of boat they begin to
shout white man coming. white man COM
ing The first time 1 heard it felt
nervous. As 1 walked on the shore among
them felt as if would like to be away.
but 1 found they were just as we'll disposed
toward me as you are. a Wnite man lS
perfectly safe in their hands, if his mott yes
are understood. If you want to trade or
barter they will receive you with open
arms and exchange what they can for some
thing they like. They have such regard
for the white man that they would hardly
allow me to get away from the village.
They want to initiate our ways of civiliza-
tion. When 1 strike a new village and
begin to talk to them have big audience
around me in ten minutes
"All of them want to become Christians,
and display wonderful amount OF zeal in
the work. At one OF the stations in the
mission the natives built q church and then
applied for q church organization. The
floor of the building was made Of boards,
and how they got boards there, without hav-
ing to saw the lumber, was more than !
could imagine. found they went into the
forests, filled with trees, and after splitting
them, cut the pieces down to the thickness
of boards. The only instrument they had
was one small ak. At the first service a
more attentive audience never preached
to. When 1 was coming away they told me
they would build larger one. The natives
are ready to hear the gospel if it is sent to
them"
Rev. Mr.. Good deplored the fact thatlarge
quantities OF gin and rum were being car
ried into the country from Europe, and un-
less it was soon stopped the years of work of
Christianity and civilization would be for
naught