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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 1, 1908

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 85, No. 40.

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British East Africa

By A. A. Carscallen

In the Kavirondo Country

“ETHIOPIA shall soon stretch out her hands unto God,” is a text quite well known; but the fact can not be realized until one comes to work among that people. We have been in this country for fourteen months and have every reason to feel encouraged for the success of the work. During this time we have gained the confidence and friendship of the people for many miles around, erected a good house large enough for two families, a schoolhouse sixty-five by twenty feet, and another large building for workshops and storehouse. We have also become well enough acquainted with the language to make ourselves understood wherever we go. As the language has never been reduced to writing, we have had no help from books, and we have just had to learn it by working with the people and hearing them speak. We are, however, beginning to write portions of the Bible now, and try to teach these texts to the people each Sabbath.
The people here are very superstitious, and have many objects of worship; but they pay very little attention to worship of any kind, except in time of sickness or fear. They acknowledge the sun to be a god, but I have never seen them worship it, and do not know of any form in which they do. They regard the crocodile as sacred, but only hang small pieces of a dead one on their persons as charms, and do not worship it when living. They look upon their ancestors as spirits, and often sacrifice to them to gain their favor or to appease their wrath. If any one worships or sacrifices to many different gods, he is generally regarded as a sinful man. I have never heard them speak of praying to anything but to the God whom they acknowledge to be the supreme being who rules over all things. Even this worship is of a very heathenish sort. It will be conducted at the time of a large gathering, and but one man prays. Such gatherings are generally held when there is something mysterious to be decided. If a person be found murdered; and the murderer is unknown, they will hold a meeting to decide who is guilty. At the meeting one of their head men leads, and orders a sheep to be killed. When the sheep is opened, he examines it thoroughly, then offers his prayer, or rather says a lot of words that no one understands but himself, and when the prayer is closed, he gives the name of the mur-derer. At such a time woe to one of the leader’s enemies, for the one named is at once put to death.
The following extract from our local paper will give an idea of what we have to meet sometimes. This extract is a true report. I know the government officer who conducted the inquiry.

A Court Scene in British East Africa

“Scene: District Court at ‘X.’ Kavirondo witness, giving evidence, states that certain cattle, alleged to have been stolen, have been taken to ‘Y,’ a neighboring station.
“Court: ‘You say that the cattle have been taken to Y. How do you know this?’
“A: ‘I went to Y myself.’
“Court: ‘When did you go to Y,—before, with, or after the cattle?’
“A: ‘I went with the cattle.’
“Court: ‘You accompanied the cattle?’
“A: ‘No. I went before the cattle.’
“Court: ‘What do you mean by saying that you went before the cattle, when you have already stated that you went with the cattle?’
“A: ‘I went to Y after the cattle got there.’
“Court: ‘You have already made three contradictory statements. If you make any more, I shall be compelled to punish you for prevarication. Now, answer me truly. When did you go to Y,—before, with, or after the cattle?’
“A: ‘I did not go to Y at all.’”
Though on being questioned the natives make such statements, it is not that they wish to be untrue. They do it because of fear. They think they are being entrapped and wish to avoid it. We often find strangers giving just such answers, but when we become acquainted, and they learn to trust us, we can depend upon them in nearly every case.
A few weeks ago some government officers were over here, and called in some men to work for them. When the Sabbath came, many of the men refused to go to work. The officers asked for a reason, and the natives said, “This is the Sabbath, and we will not work on God’s Sabbath.” Though our ability to teach them has thus far been very limited, we are glad that the truth is coming before them. We are in a dark and heathen land, but it is filled with kind, tender, and simple hearts, which are open to the message of salvation, and we are sure that they will see the truth of this last message of mercy. We have many things to meet that are unknown in the home lands, but we do not have to present the gospel to hard, prejudiced hearts. We meet those who do not know God, not those who do not care for him.
We feel of good courage, and are sure that the Gentiles will come to the light, and that “from beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants . . . shall bring mine offering.” Will God’s people kindly remember us and our field before the throne of grace?
A. A. CARSCALLEN.