The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-07-21

yellow Hottentot girl; but the Zulu takes in the towns, the place filled in Northern countries by the serving maid. He is the housemaid, nursemaid, errand boy. good cook and a fair coachman. To take care of the baby is, however, the chief pleas ure of his existence When he reaches this acme of confidence his life ia one series of capacious smiles. It Is an anus ing sight to see small children In Joubert Park, carefully trcked out in white sun bonnets and 1nery, attended by some stal- wart Zulu of six feet and more, who E most uncouth in the clothes, or, rather, half-clothes of civilization, stalks proudly along, almost overcome by sense of his importance, wheeling the go-cart or hold ing the tiny hand In his enormous. ebony fist.
 The Zulus. the great warrior race of South Africa, are the most honest and moral, precisely because they have been the least influenced by Caucasian civiliza- ton, which has provd by no means an un- mixed blessing to tho negro It is an un- fortunate fact paralleled In other regions of the world. that while the raw native is in every case, honest and moral, sober, faithful and trustworthy, no sooner does he come under the influence of civilization | than he becomes drunken, shiftless and thieving, and assumes all those we'll known characteristics of the coast ne- groes of the Southern States. The mis- sionaries are, perhaps erroneously, blamed l for this state of affairs. It is q sad com mentary on the action of the good people of Christian lands, who contribute their doles for the spreading of Christianity among the natives to say that in no DOT tion of South Africa where the raw" na- tive can be obtained will an employer ac- cept the services of n Christian negro In any fiduciary capacity. The mission sta l tions too, are notoriously centers of con- taminat ation from which all the vices of civilization are disseminated among the | natives.
 The prevalent contempt for the product of the mission schools Is, however. due to an erroneous conception. It Is not Chris tianity that demoralises, for 1t is form of belief far more elevating and inspiring than the shadowy native conceptions of witch doctors, spiritism and transmgra tion It is the civilization which the mis sionaries bring with them that Is respon 1 61Dl6 Tor the eVllt-LHe luchphclly ol tucoe good men to divest themselves of their own national idiosyncrasies. This has be come so far recognized among educated negroes that national churches have been organized, with a large membership, with view to promulgating the moral teach ings of Christianity without the accom- panying standards of Caucasian civiliza- l ton.
 Thus already q native problem Is be- ginning to loom upon the horizon of the future Under the mild rule of his tribal chief, practicing n species of communism the native has no incentive to any Of those crimes which characterize civiliza- ton which has substituted the family for the tribe as the unit of society. With the breaking up of the tribal system, and the demoralixation of the young men, who arc driven to earn money in the mines through an iniquitous hut tar, and. hocking to Johannesburg from the remotest regions of south and central Africa. learn all