The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1909-10-21
NATION OF
!. WHITE WI n MEN
VIII Rule Africa Says Missionary
Who has just Crossed Dark
- Continent on Foot.
Minerals the Attraction
Which WIN Draw the Caucasian to
The. Heagt of south Central Africa
Whose Climate is Mild and Where
Copper and Tin Abound.

Minneapolis, Oct. c16.-The Rev.
John F,>SprinKer, OF Chicago, toresees
white man ssnation In South Central
Africa Immediately below the Congo
country, and ~he hopes before that
time arrives to have the Christian re-.
ligion. firmly established among the
natives of the vast domain, so that
when the white men come the black
men will be prepared to adopt that
which Is good and Withstand that
which is bad in the newcomers civil
lization. .>..~ =: T
Mr.. Springer aud his wife spent
five and a half years as missionaries
at Old initial, In southern Rhodesia,
On their return to America they
came across the African continent,
travelling the greater part Of the dis
lance ON foot, although they availed
themselves Of such railroad facilities
as existed ,.-- -
The Springer Caravan numbered
forty men and food supplies for four
months were packed. The tse-tse fly,
! whose bites causes the sleeping sick
ness, fatal to%man, does not exist in
the parts OF Africa covered by the
trip. ..... ...
Natives Well Armed.
1--WE had no trouble with the ma
tives during his journey across AT
rica,' said MIR. Springer, who, with
his Wife, was the guest Of DR.. A. H.
Parks, No. 4132 Queen Avenue, S.,
but we gave them no cause for
trouble. They all have guns ana
plenty Of ammunition. I think they
use their firearms. on each other, for,
they have mapy$$ .auarrels and feuds
between triheH ard families, and there
1s no law or authority IN the. country.
"A party that has since come over the
same route as we did was attacked by
tho natives.
I'VE were five and a half years at
Old Cmtalt, In the country of the Ma
karanga, whose language We learned.
We went there in 1901, two years
after the first Methodist missionaries.
The church of England had been
there several years before. Our work
was to prepare natives for the minis
try, and at the end of our stay we
had sent out eighteen young men to
preach the Gospel in their own
tongue"
MIS-. Springer compiled a diction-
airy or the language OF the Makaran-
gas, words being, given with their
English equivalent. She is the author
OF a book just from the press, snap
Shots from Sunny Africa" Her hus-
band has published "The Heart of
Centra Africa"
They are building railroads from
both Sides" said Mr.. Springer. @.
Soon what Is perhaps the richest
copper country under the sun will be
open to development. Then will
come the mining town. The Negro
will furnish the labor for the mines.
If he be not fortified against the vices
of the white man, he will be worse
off than II he had never seen our civ
ilization."
Travelled Twenty Miles Day.
Much Of the country through which
the Springer party passed had no
trails, and whenever possible the SER
vices Of native guides were enlisted
for more than 600 miles they had
guides for but three days. The av-
erage rate of travel was ABOUT twenty
miles day. A portion Of the journey
was made on the Cape to Cairo Rail-
way.
1t Is In the very heart Of South
Central Africa that MI. Springer pro-
poses to be ready for the Caucasian
civilization he Ia sanguine is coming.
NOT only copper, but a belt of tin 10
miles long mas been found with gold
and diamonds In many places
1T Is white mans climate" said
Mr.. Springer. while some Of it is
in the torrid zone, 1t is all nearly a
mile above the sea level SO that it
Is about the same as 8 temperate
country. Why, it Ia no hotter there
in summer than 1t is in MINNEAPOLIS
today, and the nights are nearly al
ways cool.
throughout the whole of Central
Africa today the native is conscious
of rapid changes coming to pass, The
Old order changeth. For the most
part, he accepts the new order with
the wonder aud curiosity Of q child.
At this stage the natives are singu-
larry impressionable.
The commercial possibilities Of
Central Africa have perhaps never
had their match aimee America was
new" -'