The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-02-01
CANNIBALISM IS
BEING WIPED ] OUT.
MAN FROM GABooN TELLS OF
WORK IN AFRICA.
That Continent, Rev. R. H. Milligan
Says, Is the Hope Of the Negro-How
the savages Take to Ideas Of Civ
ilization-one Church Has 500 Mem
bers.

Rev. r: b. Milligan of Gaboon, West
AREA AREA, addressed the Woman's Foreign
missionary society of Westminster
church this afternoon. In conversation
with journal representative Mr.. Mil
i!gan gave careful and significant es-
I OF political conditions in the
black regions of Africa, which include
practlcally the whole continent except
3 part OF Cape Colony and narrow
said: '' 4 WI
It will never be possible for white
men TO 1--we in any but limited portion
OF the African continent until it has
been redeemed thru cultivation and i'm
Provement. This must be done by the
Dlacks, and when they have acquired
the civilization requisite for thus i'm
proving the continent, they will be in
Africa is the hope of the black race,
for there nature has given it chance
by setting barrier to the competition
it is now unified for.
Among these blacks there is only
one sure means of civilization, and that
is religion. Commerce and government
alone fail, altho they supplement the
work OF the missionary. The regen-
GRAFTON Of Africa and the civilization Of
It's people rest absolutely with the
:# Children Sacrificed.
Gas an illustration of the potency of
that influence, take my field in the
French Congo country. The Fang
tribe, among whom L work, had never
had any established work among them
before my arrival six years ago. They
were as degraded as any people on the
continent, living in a state Of perpetual
warfare and indulging in cannibalism
nineteen out of every twenty deaths
were thru violence, the men being vic
ms s Of war aRd the 1sz3 5eng put
occasion was celebrated by the sacrifice
Of human victims, usually children. It
| is such practices as these that make
Africa sparsely populated, for the tribes
are the most prolific in the world and
there is an abundant food supply.
| HThe influence of the mission extends
In some measure over territory ipclud.
ing all Of the basin Of the Gaboon river
which can be reached by boat: a strip
along the tributaries fifty miles. In
this territory public cannibalism died
out almost at once and wars have been
reduced marvelously. The change in
morals and tribal customs is almost in
credible. I have had school Of about
seventy five boys and the influence Of
the gospel and Of civilized living ha:
been spread largely. thru these pupils
who come in increasing numbers.
The Negro q Linguist.
"a curious thing is the absence OF
mental arrogance among these people
even the chief will sit on the grount
and listen to one Of my little pupils
talk, if he has anything to say, and tn.
they are eager to tell what they hav'
learned. They are remarkable linguist
and possess the negro gift of eloquence
An African can express in appropriate
and often striking or beautifully Ian
guage anything he knows; the only lm1
to his powers of speech is his now]
edge. w ~ %sGas-&.
%lHThe mission chuSch now number
200 members and there are on fProba
ton. under instruction, 300 more"