The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-11-29

GospcII-r Of the ZRmbcsi.
1t argues peculiar frame Of mind
when a man can stand in the roar of
tho Victoria Falls for the first time and
wonder whether he shall find the grace
to dissolve the crust of sin Cakcd about
the soul of Lcwanika. Lewarika being
the pagan king Of the Barotse and quite
happy with all the sins he knows how
to commit II argues a frame Of mind
which might provide interesting eNami-
nation. The problem Is an incident TO
the work Of E.pouARp FAvRE Francois
Coiildrd. WieSioudirc an Fam bt=c paris:
Socicte dos Missions Evangeiqucs)
Collard was an Interesting product W
tho Professionalism in France which has
had a difficult existence ever since the
Revocation Of the Edict of Nantes. As
with other nonconformity Il has not
found favor with thu iuhahitan, =
Of cities. for II does not comport with
social conventions in which the cut 81
tho garment is of more importance than
the principles or faith. II has rather
been religion Of the countryside. arous-
ing fcrvor in much the same rank ~
society as that which f'ncked 20 the
hedge preaching of John Wesley Be
cause * could not afford pckings for
such as thrive on social disorders the
French evangelical communion has had
to endure neglect, hut on the other hand
II has been spared much Of the neon
venicnCc Of persecution.
4 memory Of the Monthly Concert
now somewhat sluggish. recalls the re-
currencc Of tho plea for tho French
Colportcur and tho pressure brought 20
bear upon an allowance all too eNiGuous
for needs at home II is recalled thar
the plea did not seem reasonable. one
had enough French 10 know tina; a cor,
porteur was man who carried pack
upon his back For org years til" col
porteurS had passed out ~ mind until
this volume recalled their existence and
gave evidence hat they are still AZ work
in France.
Coillard was one ~ these French
ProtestantS. a poor farm lad of As
niares-les- Bourges. 1t appears that a
considerable literature has grown up
about him. This author has written
two preceding volumes. one II the youth
Of his work in Africa among the Les
souto. Coillard himself wrote \ vol
ume on the Zambesi Half a dozen
works have dealt more or less AT length
wiki his adventures and missionary
efforts This work covers the last
years Of his life his call to now fold
in tho wild heart II inner Africa. his
forts to cvangcii2c tho desperate saw
& T.,
the preface 10 this volume No are adj
visol of Coi,lard's birth N 1894. Of his
warm love a. a child for the cause II
missions. Of his conversion AT the age
Of is, Of the drawbacks Of bitter pow
erty which seemed to block the path
Of his gentle ambition. overcoming all
obstacles. impressinS the hencfactors OF
his communion with the simplicity Of
his faith. he entered tho House of Mis-
sions in Paris at the age Of - and
after less than year set ont for South
Africa in 1877 and established himself
as an evangelist among the LessOuto.
Fortunately for the success of his lahors
his preparation was rather material and
mechanical than theological. He was a
jack At as many trades rs We're needed
on the frontier and beyond, his theology
was Of the simple type which entails
little Of homilctics and hermeneutlcs but
is content with the fervid preaching Of
the plain Gospel. 4 theology more com
plcated and better founded in scientific
detail would have failed utterly with
the wild people whose lives he sought
to amcliorate and whose deaths he
sought to MI with hope
At Lerihe in the Lessouto country
he and his Scotch wife established
their mission, their work spread among
the savages. the church grew and pros
pered II was n long and wearisOme
work but Coillard succeeded. the Les
souto gave over their savage rites Of
paganism, Joined the church and set
their feet upon the path Of Christian
walk and conversation. After the days
~ stormy cndoavor. after peace had
settled upon tho wild community the
missionary heard the cry from inner
Africa. heard of the BarotSe pcrishing
in trcspasseS and sins. He set out upon
reconnaissance in 1877 after eighteen
years in Africa, he succeeded In reach
ing and in crossing tho Xamhesi. after
nearly two years he returned to Lcrihe
through many hardshps, He was con-
WINGED that tho Barotsc country was
his Macedonia from which had come
the cry for help.
!. was "A great demand upon his self
ahncgation to rclinquish his church at
Leriho, which In n score Of years had
become settled, whore life had become
easy, whore he had formed tics Of COM
mon faith with his black parishioncrs
which had engaged his affection. His en-
thusasm was sufficient 10 enable him to
face tho rupture OF an these tbs and, al
a time Of life when ease appealed to
him, once more Sc ont beyond the
frontier and encounter all the dangers
of desert ana SavaGeS II ie with this
final period Of his life that this volume
deals, and deals intimately The pages
reveal little of tho geography Of the
Tamhcsi, although Cpllard was n
pioneer They arc crowded with all
tho miuuiiw ~ 'hc life ~ tho savagcs
which enable MS to comprehend tho so
cial condition OF the Barotsc before
they had encountered the changes of
civilization, always A. its worst in tho
vanguard 81 pioneers, Above all these
pages mirror human soul It's agony
~ dependency under n burden too
great to bear alone, lis flashes of hop.