Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-07-09
THE MURDER oF MISSIONARIES.

In speaking OF the killing of a few
English missionaries at Sierra Leone,
Africa. the Washington PosT says:
"It appears that the history OF this
CHASTITY and appalling episode is near
~ completed. The question is wheth-
er its obvious moral Will be taken to
heart by the civilized world. The re-
cord of missionary failure is already
long enough The list OF the victims of
murder and rapine Surns cold the blood
in every vein ard artery of Christen-
dom. Can it be possible that the I'M
speakable epilogue furnished by Sierra
Leone will be passed over with uncon-
Germ
How many good and devoted Christ
ians, men and women, were tortured,
Outraged, and put to death by the saw
ages they had labored so faithfully to
redeem. we shall perhaps never know.
Such facts as we have absolutely as
certained, however, are quite horrible
enough to justify doubt as to the
wisdom of the missionary scheme. For
ourselves, we have always hsrbored
[ that doubt. 1t needed not this latest
| illustration to persuade US of the fulfill
| ty Of the Christian propaganda in Afri-
ca and Asia In fact, it has always
seemed to US that, with so much unbe-
lief and barbarian and wretchedness
at home, it were folly to waste our en-
| ergies, our time, our means, our very
lives in thankless and, generally, use
| less efforts abroad"
And again:
There is nothing to show that the
missionary establishment has accom-
plished anything worthy OF serious
consideration among the worshipers OF
Buddha or Mahomet. There is every
thing, on the contrary, to show that
these people resent our assaults upon d
theology that fills the measure of theil
needs, which they have accepted witt
unquestioning faith for centuries, and
which presents, to the conflicting
creeds and dogmas and observances o.
Christianity, a harmonious. 5ymmetri
cal, and unbroken front. King John o
iAbyssinia once called together mum
, Der Of British missionaries who wer'
'clam0ring for special privileges and
after questioning them with grea
shrewdness, said: You are good mer
I see that. Go back to your home
and agree among yourselves upon som
faith which you will offer US in ex
change for ours. Then l shall welcom
you and consider your proposition
with respect and care But it is nc
this aspect OF the matter that con
Germs US. John was both wise an
{ kind. He meant no harm. What W
refer ois the horror of the thing-th
massacres, the lootings. she persecution
t the burning hate and treasured yer
g geance with which, in Africa and Asil
: the natives requite the loving minis
n tration and consistent self-sacrihcO {
e our missionaries"
8 That is indeed view of it from IL
. missionaries standpoint, but any-oI
IS knowing the facts will admit that the
same missionaries are but the Gdvan'
If guards of the socalled civilization ~
= Christianity which rob the natives
If their possessions.
,e In their wake follow the whiskey-jl
10 and it is not long before they are su
jected to the most CALLING slavery, ~
witness practices at variance with D
very teachings which are brought
them.
Yes, it will be better for the nasiy
n when this hypocritical missionary b
n siness is at an end.
Of The treatment of the natives at Sic
n ra Leone and in South Africa is bs
On barous. The native women have be
n, outraged, the men butchered, I
OF graves desecrated by being search
n. for gold, and this too done under (
be banners Of the cross, When viii Il
e. duplicity end