Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-09-18

Christian religion is very difficult
one in that country. The kings and
principal men have as many as three
hundred wives. while the n0osfr onos
| have 80 many as they can "a
| Girls are traded on like cattle for
goods to the worth of $40 or $50, and
| are not considered to be of any more
value. The only way to reach and
convert the masses is through the
schools. When the priests went there
the people had no clothing and were
in the depths of ignorance.
The priests had to provide both
spiritual and temporal help for them.
The boys and girls who attended the
schools have grown up good Chris
tians. They have gotten money to-
gether, bought farms. engaged in bus
mess and contributed great deal to.
ward the advancement of the work in
their country.
Very little is known of the immense
population in Central Africa. 1t was
the place where the slaves were talk
en- from to be sold in America, and
other countries, and every little ne
gro boy today points out with terror
the old Dutch, French and English
fortresses. in which his forefathers
were imprisoned to be taken out and
carried as slaves to foreign countries.
Mr.. Lissner has spent considerable
time in the valley of the Nile, where
there are many old churches and CON
vents, proving that the Catholic faith
was in that country early in the
fourth century. Images and relics
are still to be seen, as well as the EN-
balmed bodies of the old monks. show
ing the marks of torture and brutality
by which they died at the hands of the
invading Mohammedans. Seven mil
lions out of ten millions of Christian
inhabitants are Roman Catholics now
The rest are members OF schinismatic
churches. The Christian population
consists of Syrians, Greeks and Copts,
and most of them are very ignorant
They have no schools or system of ed
ucation of their own and the instruc-
tion is entirely in the hands of Euro.
peans, Catholic priests and sisters and
some Protestant missionaries.
The Oriental priests do not have
the highest charge over the churches
but they are governed by the sui
tans or kings. These Oriental peo-
pie are very intelligent. They are
more capable than Europeans, and
learn much faster when they get a
chance. Some of them speak FIVE or
six languages. The peasantry of
Egypt are descendants of the people
who lived in the time of Moses and
monuments, from 5000 to 5000 years
old, show the same kinds OF tools and
Implements that they work with to-
day. They have not progressed at all,
being ground d6wn BY foreigners who
have invaded and taken possession of
the country. They live in little one
room mud huts, the family and cattle
all together. They are very hospita-
BILE. and although they have very lit
tie, they always welcome the stran-
ger to their best.
Lying between Europe, Asia and all
the southern part of Africa, Egypt is
great highway and battle-ground.
1t is a very rich country in agricul-
tural products, but there are no mines
or other industries. The country is
in the hands of Europeans, but the
Armenians and Greeks have things
much their own way; they tax the
peasants very heavily, and are hard
usurpers. In the last named business,
an Armenian could outdo nine Jews
and Greek could outdo three Jews,
although the latter are world-famous
as usurers.