Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-12-02

rock rabbits, several deer, with beau
tiful flowers and birds, and OCCASION
ally passing a native by the way with
the usual sagubona (meanlng good
day. all tended to dlspel the lonely
feeling. OF course my guide and !
would sometimes talk and motion
and get little satisfaction out Of 1t.
Though this trip was through the
rough wilds OF Africa, and dis
lance of from twenty two 10 twenty
four miles / had all confidence in my
guide because l knew he had gone
the way before, and thus walking
along the thought was suggested to
my mind, How blessed to have con-
fidence in our Spiritual Guide, who
has prepared and gone the way be-
fore His children; and we need not
be afraid.
Thus we, completed the trip, and
the longest walk Of my life, finding
hearty welcome at the home OF
brother and sister Doner. After a
bath and supper, and little rest,
my limbs felt somewhat sore, but
next morning l felt surprisingly well
over 1t. Since here we have put in
several days visiting among the kraals
and several schools. On Saturday,
bro. Doner and l started out on a
trip Of about fifteen miles. Bro.
Sheets not going with us. We visited
eleven kraals. At four OF these we
had services. At three ! spoke and
Bro. Doner interpreted; at the other
Bro. Doner and two young native
sisters who accompanied us, spoke.
Our congregations numbered from a
dozen to forty.
At one Of these places we came to
a part Of a marriage ceremony, which
usually lasts several days. AS wei
entered the kraal we saw two skin
ned goats on some brush and a
board, and the bride with the maid
ems who accompanied her were In a
circle engaging in a dance, which af-
ter q while was signalled to end by
an old woman coming up to the
bride with a reed, and hitting her
slightly on the legs, after which she
with her maidens entered the hut,
she keeping herself CONCEALED all
the while we we're there. Soon a
maid came out with knife and a
dish. She cut off Of each goat at
different places four of five bits OF
meat and took them into the hut to
be roasted and eaten by the bride.
Then number of the young people
gathered around the one goat and
and a maiden cut into the abdomen
when they all grabbed for the entrails
to see who could first get piece and
prove himself the best man. The con-
tents of these went flying In the air
and landing on number of them,
and then 1t even proved that they
had Gas 1t has been said) an aver
sion to water. But I'll forbear and
not try to give you full life-size
description of this part of the cere-
mony. The goats we're to be eaten
that evening, and the next day was
to be a great day of dancing; and
what seemed most strange to US was
that the young man for whom the
bride was taken was away some miles
at work; and ! imagine when he
comes home he will be agreeably sur
rpised to learntthat he has wife. !
Bro. Doner asked the head man
of the krall to hold a short service
who said, after they were through |
with the former parts of the cere-
mpny pertaining to the meat we
could do so, and in due time called
his people together who were seated
around US and we brake to them
the bread of life, and leave 1t under
our heavenly Fathers care, who may
yet have mercy on his. people. and
water the seed with the dews OF
heaven to make 1t to bud and be
fruitful.
On Sunday. Bro. Sheets spoke to
the inquirers' class of about forty
live of whom a number expect to
be baptised at the love feast on the
coming Sunday. This service was
held In the diningroom of the old
hut. At about the time to call the
congregation together for the preach
ing, we were detained. Bro. Doner
had sold some grain to man at the
mines; and by all accounts he must
have lost his calendar, forgetting that
1t was Sunday. The grain having been
stored in the school and church
building, we waited with the services
until they had their grain loaded
which was hauled away with a team
Of sixteen large oxen.