Abilene weekly reflector., 1919-06-19


those missionaries who are reason
ably honest, and they are truly few
enough to make one wonder why
they ever came to Africa, had one
not seen the lovely time they have
here is that they are so full OF
theology falsely so called, that
they find themselves compelled to In
nict upon the poor, defenseless ma
tive. what a self respecting Euro
pcan would prom tly knock them
down for.
In 1915 while under arrest and
intepment by the Germans here. we
were ordered to an American mission
here to be under surveillance there.
was delighted TO notice that the
male biped In charge OF that station
(niark the word) spent over two
hours day teaching a class of raw
natives the Book of Revelation.
Delighted, said, for had he taught
them any part of the Bible they could
understand, I should have feared so
for The moral safety Of those natives,
should have had to interfere. He,
himself was so lazy, he lived with a
wife and one other young lady mis-
sionary in sheds so unfit for habita-
tion, the very look Of them was dis
cOncerting. He was so untruthful,
no native could have failed to dis
cover that he was a natural born
But how much is that
to be wondered at? When ! rebuked
him, one evening for their lauding Of
the German government and de-
England for causing this
war to destroy Germany" they re-
ported my words to the nearest Ger
man post commander and was so
dealt with, was nearly
shot later in consequence Of the ac-
cusations of the two Maleks and
their ''brethren, the missionary.
Maleks were also supported by
American money. But more and
fully of that in my book.-A. 70.
Martin.
Trusting you may allow space for
the foregoing depression, l now pro
ceed on our journey, still northwards,
yet in nearly northwesterly di-
rection. We are soon nearing the
border of the Congo state. That great
unknown, up to a few years ago when
nm abundance of gold was found
there. Let gold be found in eoun-
try, and it soon ceases to be un-
known.
The trees are now better, straight
er, and some are probably so feet
high and would make nice saw logs,
some of them only, the majority are
still crooked.
Oh, the climate. 1t is in no way.
hot, even at midday, but this was
June. answering to our December
south of the equator. 1t was still so
cool in the nights we needed heavy
blankets and several Of those.
Passing the Congo border. we are
now on upwards Ton the map, and
n physical face also) into far famed
'Katanga," the richest copper region
n the world. Copper ore so rich 1t
'uns 90 per cent copper to the ton is
mined further up the railway. We
ire now both passing and meeting
,oal and coal trains. On westwards
IN spur of the railway are the
Yankie coal fields lin Rhodesia, how
'ver) and ! forgot to say the trains
we're merely bringing up coal for the
great copper smelters at Elizabeth
,ille. 120 miles up in the Congo
state. And those we met farther
south, were taking coal to the gold
mines in Rhodesia.
June IA, at / p. M, our train
pulled into Elizabethville, Congo Free
State Here was pleasant surprise
or altho having Travelled much in
Central Africa and studied it's maps
more than any other land, | was not
Of the Importance of EliZ-
lbethville We did not expect to
ind what very nearly answered to a
lustling, bustling American frontier
own. More surprises still, and to us
more agreeable yet, we found any
lumber Of our own innocent (D
american countrymen there.
Already at the customs station on
he Congo border, called Sakania,
loticed the, to me. American looking
lats worn by the officials. In Eliz- 7
bethville, these were still in evi-
ence. They were, ! soon learned,
american StetsOns, and were for sale
n almost every store in the town at
he snug sum of so francs, $16,