Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1923-04-06

many OAO PCOPAC anu OluClCu lhat III
old folks be abandoned to wild ami
mails or starvation. He punished men
who killed their wives; before that
time any man might do SO. He put
an end to such extreme punishments
as the cutting off of parts of the
body. Even those who were prisoners
were made to do some form of bene-
fetal work. He established trial by
jury. He forced the Shareholders of
his kingdom, where many Bushmen
were held, to give them good treat
ment and to assist the slaves in ac-
quiring their own stretches of land.
African PrOhibitiOnists
But Khama's longest and most diff
cult battle was with the liquor inter-
ests of Africa. Beer is the cause Of
all quarrels and disputes" he said,
"and I will stop it ever though I
know I am taking my life in my own
hands,"
The first struggle was against ma
tive beer; it was a long fight, and it
did not eliminate until the younger
generation had grown up without
any knowledge of the drink. Then
one day he summoned all the natives
and all the white people together and
told them of the evils of the white
mans whisky, that it was running his
country. Said he: 81 fear the white
mans drink more than the spikes Of
Matabele. The spikes kill mems bod
les, and it's quickly over, but drink
puts devils into men and destroys both
their souls and their bodies forever.
It's wounds never heal"
Then Khama decreed that natives
should not drink whisky, and that 40
white man should give it to them. He
permitted the whites within his king
dom to import it for their own use.
But the mex year he called them all
together again and decreed that since
the white men were violating his ord
ers and giving whisky to the natives
it could not be imported into the coun-
try for any use whatever. Two white
men who owned a liquor store were
permitted to leave the kingdom; when
they returned later and went into the
same business he arrested them and
PShN OOuIh W OO OCO1IA Will ny
the British.
Khama and Victoria
King Khama was a great admirer of
Queen Victoria. Like many other
African natives he believed in the sin
certify and honesty of the great white
queen, but was not so certain of the
motives of the government at the Cape.
In 1895 when the Beers and Matabeles
and the Germans and some other COL
onists were casting avaricious eyes
on this rapidly developing country Of
Bechuanaland, Khama appealed to
Queen Victoria that England become
the protector and ally of his kingdom.
He also appealed to her on the grounds
that the Beers were coming into his
country and e%nslaving his men, women
and children, and that some other
people were importing rum into his
land. So Be~chuanaland became a pro-
tectorate of Great Britain, and very
happy relations have existed since
that time. In the Matabele war of
1893 and the World War Khama and
his countrymen gave valuable assist
ance to Great Britain.
Christian Land
Many of Khama's people have en-
braced Christianity, although there
are still large numbers awaiting the
gospel message. There is a warm well
come for the missionary and every as
sistance is given him. When Khama
built the new capital city of Serowe
in 1903, the $4,000 stone church, paid
for by the natives, became the central
building of this city of 25 5000 people.
Sometimes the king himself preached
from the pulpit of this church. The
spring season is opened with prayer
n then the two-ox plows are to be
seen in the fields everywhere. The Sab
bath is held sacred and such labor as is
not necessary is discouraged on that
day. The king leads a simple home
life and a recent visitor there, telling
OF his reception by the king, said that
nearby were to be seer his wife and
his daughter operating a Singer sew
ing machine. Every morning some
of the aged pensioners and others de-
pendent upon the kings personal
bounty are to- be found at his home.
Much of his kingly' revenue was spent
in these small charities.
At the celebration of his fftieth al.
niversary as king, Khama said: 'To
the young men I say the work that has
been done here is the work of God.
Depart from disputes, think like men.
seek to know the Lord, let your hearts
depart from drink, and from the in
itiation ceremonies, get to know the
true knowledge about marriage, that
1t is an oath before God. May God
bless you white people and my peo-
pie"
Asked if Christianity made his SOL
diers better or worse, King Khama
is said to have replied: 'If I wanted