A HEATHEN FETISH | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Feb 6, 1907

A HEATHEN FETISH.

A FEW weeks ago, in a certain town which I was visiting for the first time, an old man came and laid at my feet his most sacred fetish. It was in a small cylindrical box of bark, made for the purpose of holding this kind of fetish. The women, when they saw the box, turned and fled for their lives, first putting their hands over their ears lest they hear the old man's words and die. They are not supposed to know the contents of the box, and tho they do know, they are ready at any moment to take a solemn oath that they do not.

This box contained, first and chiefly, the brains of the old man's father, who had gained eminence and success according to Fang ideals. Immediately after this man's death, his son had split his head open with an ax, had scooped out his brains, and then mixed them with dry, white clay. To this he had added one of the old man's teeth, and a bit of his hair and finger nails; also a strip of flesh cut from the dead man's arm and dried over the fire.

When the owner of such a fetish is about to engage in any considerable enterprise he rubs a portion of these brains upon his forehead, and thereby possesses himself of all the serviceable qualities of the original—his adroitness in lying, his skill in cheating, his cleverness in stealing goods, capturing other men's wives, and killing his enemies. If he is going to talk a big "palaver" he places the strip of dried flesh in his mouth, between his teeth and his cheek, and keeps it there all the time he is talking, that he may be eloquent and successful.—R. H. Mulligan, Libreville, Gaboon, W. Africa.

ENROUTE TO AFRICA.

With a subscription to the SIGNS to be sent to a friend in America, the following letter comes from Mrs. Joel C. Rogers, who, with her husband, is now in Nyassaland, Africa, missionaries to the natives. The letter is dated, "South Atlantic Ocean, Dec. 18, 1906."

"Dear Brother Wilcox: "The Lord has been very good to us, and given us a beautiful voyage on the North Atlantic, and thus far on the South Atlantic, also. To-morrow morning at daybreak we reach Madeira, and are promised seven hours ashore. Are scheduled to reach Cape Town January 1. The Conference meeting begins January 4, so we shall be just in time. We are of good courage concerning our work in Nyassaland. Our people in Washington, D.C., and in South Lancaster, voluntarily raised nearly $100 for the purchase of an excellent sewing-machine and good hand grist mill for our mission, for which helpful kindness we are very grateful. The machine is on board our ship to-night, coming with us from New York City.

"I called upon the head officer of the Singer Company at New York and told him of our mission and the need of a good, standard machine. He immediately offered his highest grade machine at precisely one-third retail price. It is aboard our vessel and will reach Cape Town with us. For this concession we are truly grateful. This leaves enough of the fund to purchase a good hand grist mill, with which to grind the Kaffir corn, which will form the chief article of food for the natives and for us.

"We used the SIGNS on board the S. S. Amerika to excellent advantage. The paper is of inestimable value to workers, and we surely appreciate it."