The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-01-31
STANLEY AS
A MISSIONARY

When in 1875 Henry NJ Stanley was
the Victoria Nyanza in
Central Africa, over thousand miles
from either seaboard, he discovered
man who since has played part of some
Importance in English colonial history
Mtesa, king Of Uganda. In The Youths
Companion December 2W Sir Henry-who |
lis now knight and member of Parlia- |
ment-tells of his first meeting with this
interesting African monarch and of some
religious discussions which they had to-
gether, showing Stanley in a decidedly !
new light. He writes:
"One day in full court the subject of
the white mans faith was preached. AS
II expounded, observed nxed attent. on on
the part of the king and courriers such
las / had not noticed before. lie rule
had been understood by all that talk
should be brief and various, but now it
became animated and continuous. ties
lures, EXPLANATIONS, and answers follow
| ed one another rapidly, and every face
was lighted up by intense interest. When
we finally adjourned, the subject was
not exhausted; greater cordialty was in
the hand shakes at parting, and Mtesa
urged that we should continue the dis
! for several days. 1t seemed that the
Icomparisons of Mohammed with Jesus
Christ were infinitely more fascinating
than the most lively sketches of Europe,
with it's wonders and customs; and truly
the description of the accusation of
Christ, His judgment by Plate. anu the
last scene on Calvary was the means OF
lrousing such emotion that l saw my pow
Iers of discerning character We're extreme
lily immature and defective.
I'VE were deep in the decalogue when
an unexpected white visitor made his
appearance in Uganda as suddenly almost
Ias | had made mine. This was no other
than Colonel Linant de Bellefonds, one
of Gordon's staff, who had come on
political mission. Soon after the novelty
of his arrival had somewhat worn away
and the resumption of the decalogue was
Imooted, it struck Mtesa that it would be
a prudent thing to question this other
white man from the north regarding the
things l had said about Jesus and Mo
manned and the respective faiths. Some
of the native chiefs had gone among the
Arab traders and had been made uneasy
lin their minds by the arguments in be-
half of Mohammedanism 1t was propos-
ed in open court to question Colonel Lin
lant, and the chiefs assented. fortunate
Ily for the confirmation of my statements,
the colonel although Frenchman, hap
lpened to be a stanch Calvinist, and gave
answers which corroborated me beyond
a doubt We then resumed the writing
of the decalogue and in short time 1t
was finished.
"Mtesa was dismayed that the period
of my departure had arrived. l had al
READY passed a longer time in his COM
pany than was prudent, seeing that l had
such a large number of men depending
upon me at the other end of the Nyanza.
He began to devise various eXpedientS for
,
presence of Colonel Linant, it might not
have been an easy matter to leave him.
He at last, after firm refusal from me
Ito remain longer, cried out, in voice
that had a tone of despair in it:
what is the use, then, of your coming
! to Uganda to disturb our minds If, as
soon as we are convinced that what you
have said has right and reason in it, you
go away before we are fully inStructedf
{ 'Mtesa is under misunderstanding,
s answered 1 am not an instructor in re-
ligion / am simply a kirangozi Ia pio-
, neer) of civilization When Mtesa goes
{ Ito Usoga or to Ankori to make war, he
first sends out guides and pioneers to
: point and clear the way for his army.
s That is what / do. When l go back 10
3 Europe, 1 must tell the white people the
3 way that they should take to Uganda
s Then those who may think they woulj
s like to do business with your people, OF
S those who would wish to teach them the
3 christian faith, will come here by the
3 way I have shown If Mtesa really
3 wishes that lawful instructors shoulc
s come to Uganda, he has but to say SO
S and I shall write to the people of Eng
e land to that effect, and l am sure theS
3 will send the proper men for that pur
3 pose Then write, Stamlee' Ghe NAIVE
q pronunciation of my name), and say u
IS the white people that I am like chile
s sitting in darkness, and can not see unu
g I am taught the right way
II gladly consented, and on Apru II
& 1875, 1 made two copies of an appeal 10
& missionaries to be sent to Uganda, one
g which I enclosed under cover to Genera
g Gordon, and delivered to Colonel Linant
9 The other 1 intended to send by my owl
9 Icouriers overland to Zanzibar. Tire
& days later 1 resumed my voyage. Fol
6 months passed, and 1 was again il
s. Uganda, to continue, as circumstance
q permitted, the interesting task | had lei
3 unfinished. During the three months
& remained with Mtesa, the translation
& which we made from the gospels wer
s. very copious, and the principal event
g from the creation to the crucifixion Wer
: also fairly written out, forming bulk
Z, library of boards. When the work wa
= finished, it was solemnly announced !
& full court that for the future Ugand
5 would be Christian and not Mohamme
{. dan"
= In consequence of the appeal made
s Stanley in London and New York, mis-
q sionary fund of S150,000 was raised, an
& a band of five missionaries were sent I
s Uganda. Now a cathedral, 372 churche
Is and 97.575 converts are the result of tn
2 Initial impulse which Stanley gave
:, missionary work in this field.
y q