The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-04-20
MISSIONARY WHO
Is A LION HUNTER
WILLIS r. HoTcHkiss, WHO
SPOKE AT OPENING BANQUET
OF LAYMEN's CONVENTION,
HAS BEEN ALL OVER COUNTRY
WHERE ROOSEVELT HUNTED.

HAS BEEN ALL OVER COUNTRY
WHERE ROOSEVELT HUNTED.
A missionary lion hunter. There lis
one in Fargo at the present time. A
man who has been all over the coun-
try which Roosevelt traversed in his
celebrated hunt through the jungles
of the dark continent.
More than this that man went i'm
when the country was wild and saw
age. Where Roosevelt Travelled on q
train with many attendants he tramp
ed alone through untracked forests. He
has shot many lion and other strange
beasts, for. though he Is missionary,
he Is man among men.
This man Is Willis r. Hotchkiss,
who made splendid impression on
the men OF Fargo and the monster
laymen's banquet at the A. C.. armory
last evening.
He was the first white man to pene-
trate the jungles Of British East Africa
as a missionary. He has lived for
fourteen years as a missionary, has
created language for the natives
among whom he works, written them
a grammar and taught them the liv-
ing burning message of the crucifed
Christ In that language. 1t took him
two and half years to find the equiv
alent of the word saviour and to him
that day is the happiest day in his
life. This is only part OF his work.
Fourteen years ago he walked waded
and swan his way from the east coast
OF Africa to Lake Victoria Nayanza
to establish the Lunabwa industrial
mission Of British East Africa Today
the railroad penetrates the same route
to the lake. Colonel Roosevelt recent
ly travelled over 1t.
Mr.. Hotchkiss has a plantation Of
/ 1000 acres under cultivation. He has
come back to America to buy harvest
ing machinery for his wheat fields. an
electric light plant and other modern
machinery and accessories to civiliza-
ton, He gets thirty bushels Of wheat
to the acre and sells it for SO a bushel.
In a short time he expects to be clear
! ing $4,000 a year on his plantation.
This money will be used to support
other missions In Africa.
| For fourteen months Mr.. Hotchkiss
went without bread at one time. Twice
the natives tried to starve him out by
refusing to sell him food. Various
times he has been attacked by wild
beasts and hostile natives. Some of
his hunting stories surpass those of
Colonel Roosevelt, for he was four
teen years ahead Of the former presi-
/ dent.
In telling Of his work in Africa Mr..
Hotchkiss said:
THE natives of British East Africa
are the LATEST people on the face of
the earth They wear no clothing.
Families live in low squalid huts with
their goats and sheep, amid filth too
revolving to describe. The sick are
thrown to the wild beasts There are
no grave yards save hyenas"
4 These conditions are being changed.
The missionaries are teaching the ma
tives to work, to wear clothing suitable
Ito the climate. The sick are nursed
The houses are being cleaned, the dead
|, buried. The savage negro is bowling
his neck to the yoke Of the gospel, is
taking up the burdens Of the risen
Christ.
1t is doubted IL Theodore Roosevelt
will have any hunting story that can
measure up to the one told by this
quiet, intense, nervous man. He had
moved his station to another tribe and
they refused to receive him. His food
was given out and he was about to
be forced to return to his starting
place.
One day the chief Of the tribe told
him a rhinocerous was near the viii
lage. The oldest man in the tribe had
L In
was a thickIy populated section. He
/ thought 1t was a plan to draw him
into the jungle to murder him. Shouts
from the terrified natives a few days
later caused him to rush from his hut.
A rhinocerous was approaching and
they begged him to kill the beast.
Aiming himself with rife, he went
forth like young David of old to
meet this Goliath of the jungle.
All the hills were covered with nat
ives. Thousands of spectators stood
by while he, accompanied by one of
his native boys carrying a second rifle,
staIked the beast. His first shot tore
the animals tusk. the second pene-
trated its neck and sent IL with wild
and discordant cries of pain into the
thicket. Taking his other gun and
clearing tree of the natives so that
he might have a place of refuge In
case Of need, the missionary went
forth to meet the enraged monster. q
prayed as / went, and il ever God
answered a prayer he answered that
one" he said. He fired. The bullet
sped home. The beast was dead.
What was the result of that? The
next day 100 chiefs marched up to his
house, beating drums and each one
deposited a load OF food. Al mission
station was opened and the hated
white man made friends Of a whole
) tribe
Mr.. Hotchkiss closed his address By
saying In a most impressive manner
amid rapt silence of the great audience
and galleries:
''Men, listen, think:
isn't 1t time that you stop treating
Jesus SO stability?
After what He has done for you