The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1896-07-02
NEGRO CITY IN AFRICA
The Wonderful Community Recently
Visited by n Missionary

Visited by Missionary.
The following marvellous story is told
by the Rev. Josiah Strong, whose own
high character, together with the fact
that no one has challenged the authen-
ITCHY of the story. makes credible what
would Otherwise inspire doubt The
story, says the Springfield Republican.
| is told to illustrate the fitness of the
! Christian negro to eyangeliZe Africa. 1t
| is an account of a visit to an African
city on the kassai, a tributary Of the
| Congo, whose king had threatened with
instant death any visitor to his capital
or any guide who should conduct one
thither. So for nine years all attempts
to reach it had been futile. When Mr..
Shepherd came, speaking the kings
own language and being Of his own
color, King Laguba received him kindly
and showed him every attention. This
is what Mir. Shepherd saw: They at
tended him to the city and he found
what he had not seen before in Africa
fenced city, with broad. clean streets
in which hundreds Of happy children
were at play with marbles or at leap
frog or trundling their hoops. He found
a city laid out like checker board, the
squares being filled with houses. Every
street and every house was named The
houses were we'll built, cummodiOus and
furnished with carved furniture and
| eXquisitely woven mats. He was con-
Quoted to one that had been assigned to
him and found it well provisioned
There he received the neighbors for
three days and on the fourth he was
summoned to give attendance upon the
king and the king sent two of his sons
and 1000 children to escort him to his
presence. He walked with them down
a broad, beautiful avenue into the great
central square of the city. Blanket
cloth had been spread out in a great
circle of perhaps 100 feet in diameter
and within this the ground had been
covered with leopards' skins. On these
skins, sitting in a hollow square, were
the 700 wives of the king and his aged
sister, while thousands stood outside
around the circle. AS the king was
borne in by his sixteen carriers the
air was rent with the shouts of the peO-
pie and when the king was seated the
people seated themselves upon the
ground. Then two princes came for
ward anG, taking Mr.. Shepherd by the
arm. conducted him into the presence
of the king. The king was gorgeously
dressed and wore a crown. He took
from his belt knife, which he said had
belonged to seven Lokugas. and this he
presented to the young man as a token
Of confidence. The king said to him:
If you or your people are hungry do
not fail 10 let me know and whatever
you want of me or of my people YOU
shall have" He then presented the mis-
sionary to his aged sister and the care-
mOny was at an end. The prince con-
Quoted him about the city. and. as he
saw their vast markets full of busy life
well supplied with fruits and vegetables
and manufactured articles, he felt him
self to be again in the midst of civiliza-
ton. He found there a people with
laws which were strictly enforced. with
courts of justice and with prisons. Any
member of that tribe who is guilty Of
bigamy suffers death. Any man who is
guilty of drunkenness or OF theft or of
gambling or of wife-bsating is severely
punished. Every third day with them
is Sabbath and they carefully OBJ
serve it.