The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1893-12-07

INTERESTING ADDRESS.
Rev. w, III. Shepherd Tells of His Work
in Africa

A large audience assembled in tn,
First Presbyterian church last Frida.
to hear Rev. w. II. Shepherd tn,
colored missionary to the Congo Free
State, Africa, sent out by the PreSby
terian church. The speaker began by
describing his journey from Luabo
on the Kassi river, one thousand mile;
in the interior of frica to the capita
of king Lutango, king of the Bacubus
J The king had issued stern edict tC
| the effect that foreigners should not
enter his dominions, death being the
penalty for disobedience in this.
The lamented Mr.. Lapsley's death
| on the Congo river did no5 deter Rev.
| Shepherd from making the attempt to
( visit Laturgo's capital, and his energy
| and perseverance shown in accomplish
| ing his purposes together with his al
most miraculous preservation from
| death at the hands of the kirg, forms
| the material of one of the most thrill
/ Ing narratives in the modern history
of the dark continent. With nine
| followers he made his way by narrow
| paths through the dense forest from
market place to market place until he
came to within two days march of the
kings capital. The natives were afraid
to assist him on his Journey and as he
approached the interior of the country
were afraid to allow him even to re
main in their village, so great was
their fear of the king and respect for
his laws, but by sending his head man
with guides from one market place TO
another, OStenSibly to purchase eggs,
but really to mark a pathway for
himself and his men to follow, he
reached kissingO, the point mentioned
above.
There he was met by the kings son
with a party of wOrriOrs with instruc-
t:ons to cut off the heads not only of
himself and followers, but of all the
people of the village for harbOring the
strangers. In d talk with the son of
the king the cOlOred missionary
astOnished him by his kOwledge of the
BOenbO language and by his account
of his unaided journey through the
country. The kings son freed all of
those who had been bound for eXecu-
tion by his soldiers and returned to I is
father. Then he related all that he
heard from the wonderful being, who
not only knew the language. but was
acquainted with all the roads in the
kingdom. This so impressed the sable
monarch that he called council of
the wise men of the kingdom, who de
brother of the king, who had died
number of years previous and returned
in another body to his native country.
The king thereupOn sent at once for
the stranger, who was brought to the
capital and treated with all the honor
due the brother of king. The vii
lage had population of 5000 or more,
and was admirably policed and drain
ed by good Sytem of sewerage. The
10 1.lr
ed, with high inStep, and the men
wore heavy boards. They we're much
lighter in complexion than the blacks
on the coast, or on the Congo river
towards its mouth. They were very
intelligent, but WOrShipped no God.
Specimens of cloth and rugs made by
them showed considerable progress in
the art of weaving, while the weapons
exhibited by him, gave evidence of
superior skill in working in iron and
copper. He soon had such influence
over tie king that he allowed him to
preach the gospel to him, and gave
land upon which to build houses for
mission.
Here the speaker caves brief des-
eruption of the industries of. the
people, the punishment for the DISC
bedience of the laws, etc.
The speaker announced that he
would soon return to the dark conti-
nent. When he should be called home
it was his hope and wish that his body
might be laid beside that of his dead
friend and late co-Worker, Mr. LapSley.
He said friends had given the mission
aries with whom he was acting a
steamer which would ply by way of
one of the numerous branches of the
Congo between the stations on the
last named river and LatimgOs village.
For his part he proposed to make the
last mentioned place the headquar-
tiers of his missionary labors and
would go back to it as soon as he
could He thanked the audience for
what the church had done for the
missionary cause and concluded with
an eloquent peroration on the short
ness of life and the necessity for
laboring aud suffering in the Masters
cause.
Mr. Shepherd exhibited various
articles, namely: Rugs, beads, brass
rods, used as money: knife which has
taken off hundreds of heads, which
has come down through the reign of
the Lutangos, given Mr. Shepherd as
token of friendship; also another
knife, same kind but of later style,
worn as ornament only; exhibited
some of the Kings corn; a buffalo
horn which doctors put medicine in to
lead them to search out witch.
A collection was taken up for the
missionary cause.