The record-union., 1896-05-11
NEGRO CITY IN AFRICA.
Extraordinary Community Visited by
a Missionary.

| The following marvellous story is told
by Rev. Josiah Strong, whose own high
| character, together with the fact that
no one has challenged the authenticity
of the story, make credible what would
otherwise inspire doubt. The story is
| told to illustrate the fitness of the
Christian negro to evangel1Ze Africa.
| 1t is an account of 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 Mr.. Shepherd saw:
They attended 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 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, commodious and furnished with
carved furniture and exquisitely woven
mats. He was conducted 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 at
tendance upon the King, and the King
sent two of his sons and l 900 children
to escort him to his presence. He
walked with them down broad, beau
tlful 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 with
in this the ground had been covered
with leOpardS' skins. On these skins,
sitting in hollow square, were the
700 wives Of the King and his aged
sister, while thousands stood outside
the circle. AS the King was borne in
by his sixteen carriers the air was rent
with the shouts of the people, and when
the King was seated the people seated
themselves upon the ground. Then
two Princes came forward, and 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 a
knife which he said had belonged to
seven Lokugas, and this he presented
to the young man as a token of conf
dence. The King said to him: eff you
or your people are hungry, do not fail
to let me know, and whatever you want
of me or my people you shall have"
He then presented the missionary to
his aged sister and the ceremony was at
an end The Prince conducted him
about the city, and as he saw their vast
markets full of busy life, well supplied
with fruits and vegetables and manu-
factured articles, he felt himself to be
again in the midst of civilization. He
found there people with laws which
were strictly enforced, with courts of
justice and with prisons. Any member
Of the tribe who is guilty of bigamy
suffers death. Any man who is guilty
Of drunkenness or theft, or of gambling,
or of wife-beating. is severly punished
Every third day with them is a Sab
bath, and they carefully observe it.
-Spring ngfield Republican