The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-08-17

that he was sent to Africa as mis-
sionary TO his kind
A short while ago he died in the
jungle in which he was born, pure
savage.
To the eye OF theory Wilberforce
was pre-emnently qualified for the
work which was expected of him by
his church. Civilization had slicked
him over to a nicely. He used fork
with his fish. He preached sermons
trimming with the doctrine of broth
erly love, with the peaceful dlcta OF
his religion. What an example nc
would be to the untaught and inlet
tered savage, this man of refinement
and education who had been rescued
from the worse than living death to
which he had been born. He was as
q brand Snatched from the burning.
He more than any who had 5one De
fore. was to bring light into the dark
ness. The scheme was q pretty one.
The opportunity was great; the in
fiuence of the black, educated mission
ary was expected to be of a surpass-
ing sort among the woe-begone ma
tives of the country from which he
had been snatched. The hopes of
those who sent him forth were set
high on an abundance of fruit from
the Rev. Daniel.
Alas for the hopes of his church,
alas for the theory of missions, alas
for the savage whom he was sent to
instruct. Accompanied by his wife,
the Rev. Wilberforce went and abode
with the people of his country. Ihey
recognized him as a leader He won
honor in his country. For time the
church that sent him out was justified
in it's faith. But, finally, there came
a change The Rev. Wilberforcc took
another wife. The church was up in
arms. The Rev Wilberforce was eX-
PEELED. His place was taken by an
other Apparently he was not dis
turbed He had found his place. Hap
PLY he lived and readily he forgot
At the time of his death the mis-
sonary who had been educated from
a great school, the brand that had
been plucked from the burning, the
messenger of peace to benlShted
race, was the chief of a tribe of Devil
WorshipperS." 1t is not related In
what guise he dressed, nor the rites
that his office made necessary tor
him to perform. 1t is enough to know
that in his kraal he had no less than
five wives; that his word was lie ana
death to those over whom he ruled
and that he was not sparing in eX-
pressing his opinions; that the gov
eminent which he ornamented was
of the same sort that it had always
been: that the Rev. Wilberforce, des-
pite his University training, was
savage again!
There is a sinister lesson behind this
renewed evidence of race reverSlon,
coming at a time when the world is
apt to relate all results to environ
ment and opportunity. 1t throws one
against the stone wall of fashioned;
primitive ideas with a shock. "A
servant shalt thou be, newer OF
wood and a drawer of water comes
to NINA WITH nleldl Ihe'I 1"
startling. The Rev. Wilberforce could
easily-and perhaps, he did-address
cultured Boston audience and
charm them to the dream that here
was a man fitted into the groove OF a
new civilization while born to saVaS-
cry Doubtless he thought that about
himself. But once again on his native
shores, with his animal like nostrllS
snuffng in the tropical scents to which
through years of insincere labor his
soul had yearned, with the sight OF
the brawny black bodies of his flock
and with the appeal of their free,
cay, voluptuous life all before his
eyes, the missionary forgot in a week
what it had taken him a lifetime to
acquire. He became frankly aborigl-
nal. Such learning as he remembered
he used only to the ends of plain
and cruel life. The Rev. WilberforCe
had come to his own. The tribe hailed
him as one sent from Heav"~ indeed
to make a Devil priest. The grad
uate of the University found himself
unable to lead except by being led.