Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-07-06
.IFE IN AFRICA.
y RICHARDS TALKS EETERTAMIEeLY
At Tsg FOURTH STREET CHURCH.
Vars Experience in Missionary Work.
Some Of the Eabits and Customs
Of the Natives.

evening meetings Of the congrega-
~ the Fourth Street M. E. Church
he held in the lecture room during
months Of July and August, as it is
. pleasant and better ventilated
the auditorium. Last evening the
cious room was we'll filed to listen to
admirable and highly entertaining
+. on life in Eastern Africa by Rev.
H. Richards. who has for ten years
IN a missionary in the Zambeeze
ntrv. Rev. Richards delivered his
ress in rapid conversational style,
La his hearers listened TO the story
N marked attention.
"A fter being introduced by the pastor,
In. DR.. c. w. Cushing, the speaker
trted by saying that il would afford
N great pleasure TO bring the Congo
here, so that IL could be studied
better advantage, but that was i'm
ksible. so ne would eadeavOr to give
description of the country, and some
|the habits and customs OF the ma
fes. He compared the Congo in size
|th the United States, and said that
would cover the entire country as
west as the Rocky Mountains.
sere are 10000, goo OF people in the
bited States, aud 50,000,O00 In the
.pro. so the population is just as
rse as here. He would venture TO
that 45, 900, coo of these never saw
kite man, and are as destitute Of
knowledge of civilization, as
|pv we're several centuries ago. He
scribed the great Congo river, which
! 5 Is long as from San Francisco to
w York. nd,194,miles further. Last
|ar l. steamers plyed on the Upper
|ngO, this year 30, and next year there
h be 100. The country is one of the
eheSt on the face of the earth, and
u OF commerce and trade are appre-
hung that fact. They are rushing
'er there now, and will mako money.
ere are so millions of people there, and
|ss!OnS have been established as far as
aaley Pool, after which no more are
be found until you strike the Eastern
IaSt of Africa. Civilized nations have
Biz task before them-the Evangeli-
tiou OF Africa. He offered no Solu-
IN: be presented facts, aud brought
L problem home for settlement.
The speaker then described his trip
his post in Eastern Africa.
''On a bright October morning, in the
az 1880, we set sail from New York
ross the bis river between Europe and
nerica. We spent a few days in Lon
b. aud on an intensely cold day-the
\ saw until ! returned last winter
again set sail. In a few days we
n6ed at the beautiful Madeira Island,
geritable paradise, where we spent
y days. Again We started, and passed
! giant peak of Teneriffe, towering
rec and half miles from the bosom
the Atlantic, It's snow covered crest
lttering in the rays OF the sun, and
rtinuing on our course for seven
puSaud miles, we finally anchored at
hoe Town. a city somewhat larger than
beeling. and quite cosmopolitan In its
bracter-S city of $4,000 souls aud
DO kinds of people. Cape Town has
colleges, snd churches, and railroads,
i all the modern accessories
On around the Cape or
Id Hope, We continued for one thouS-
h miles along the eastern coast, and
billy landed at our destination at a
IrtugeSe fort. Here all was different.
,ere were no roads, no boats, no civil
RtiOn, no government to restrain or
y TO appeal to. Most of the travelling
IS done of horseback within six hun
ed miles of the place. The Portuguese
We been in charge there for four hun
ed years, and If they live to the MILL
bm they will probably be little farther
F2nced They quarrel with other
tiOas about the country while they
BE there but a handful of men, who
Re- not make war with the natives, and
10 have never handled muSket."
The reception by the pOmpous Gov
Dor, gorgeouSly attired III sold and
be, aud with spurs on his boots, was
scribed in humorous manner. There
is no wharf 81 the place, and the snip,
chored i'm the Bay. Although the
Irtuguese are Catholics, they welcome
Otestant missionaries. They are
nrteous and obliging, but very lazy.
lie town is composed Of few dingy
e-story houses, and the population IS
,de up OF Portuguese, several french
b Dutch, and about :, 200 Arabs. -Four
lwart natives carried thea TO shore.
Ich wore three suits OF clotnes-paint,
NJ. and greaSe-aud left their impress
m upon the speaker and his wife.
Ith the aid of a dOuble-barrelled IN
rpreter, he made his business known
the Governor, and was given the
,edom of the city. He continued:
iWe passed over the mainland, 1t
king eight men TO carry me, and SIX
carry Mrs. Richards. We then set
but 10 select site for our mission,
billy marking of two thousand acres
that we were allOwed-of as choice
M as can be found in the Ohio Valley.
WAS covered with cOcOanut, white
ltOn, Sugar-cane, and bananas grew
ld. then made overUureS 10 the
ief. well remember how he sized me
4 his eyes chasing over every garment.
4 appeared 10 think l was very
hlthy man, and drawing himself up,
pointed tOall his territory, and told me
bake what wanted. The 1000 acres
he secured for an old flint-lock mus
4. that cost $3.50 Land and fresh
are nearly the same price over there.
u short time we had community OF 90
Ills, some Of whom we bought. lie
s a large heart, and easily learns TO
m; when he makes up his mind to 90
hing, il IS done. The meetings were
ID attended, and very interesting.
'ey all prayed in an o iginal manner,
9 the hymns which they were taught
|ead all over the country around.
lev. Richards then spoke of the aiac-
o. with which the natives learn. com
ting the alphabet In lengthy SIT
"a, and reading and writing In three
~ il 4 HnSnnT III q