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tributary of the Zambesi, and makes its junction from the north, not far above the delta formed by the mouths of the latter river. These tribes, it appears, are negroes of a far purer caste than the Caffres or Zulus bordering on Cape Colony and Natal, or than the Makalolo, who lord it over an extensive tract on the south of the Zambesi, and who supplied Livingstone's chief companions of travel. Speaking generally of the inhabitants of the interior, he remarks, that:

"They may be called true negroes; the dark colour, thick lips, heads elongated backwards and upwards, and covered with wool, flat noses, with other peculiarities, are general; but while these characteristics place them in the true negro family, the reader would imbibe a wrong idea, if he supposed that all these features combined, are often met with in one individual; all have a certain thickness and prominence of lip, but many are met with in every village, in whom thickness and projection are not more marked than in Europeans. All are dark, but the colour is shaded off in different individuals, from deep black to light yellow. As we go westward, we observe the light colour predominating over the dark, and then again, when we come within the influence of damp from the sea air, we find the shade deepen into the general blackness of the coast population. The shape of the head, with its woolly crop, though general, is not universal."—Ibid. ch. xix.

He adds:

"With every disposition to pay due deference to the opinions of those who have made ethnology their special study, I have felt myself unable to believe that the exaggerated features usually put forth as those of the typical negro, characterize the majority of any nation of south central Africa."

It is only of course by oratorical licence, that the Bishop of Oxford, in his sermon, identifies them with the Ethiopians of the Bible, as the Scriptural representatives of the children of Ham; as again Dean Trench, in his sermon, with a like latitude of application, gives them a share in the general glory of the African Church:

"And Africa, rich in martyrs already, shall be richer still; and as she had of old her Vivia Perpetua and her Felicitas, no less than her Cyprian, so shall be now inscribed in that noble army, not strong men only, but tender women—they, too, out of weakness made strong, and little children, that like the babes of Bethlehem, shall have died for CHRIST, even while they knew not for whom they died."-P. 11.

The fact, however, implied in this connexion, and their lineal descent from Ham, add, we repeat, an element of peculiar interest and hopefulness to the mission; for surely, nothing can be shallower and more unsatisfactory than the literalism of the Bishop Newton. and Keith school of prophetic interpretation in its limitation of the fulfilment of the Noachical prediction to such bare historical facts, as our occupation of British India and negro slavery. As a matter of fact, indeed, European residents in Hindostan, cannot be "Japhet

dwelling in the tents of Shem," inasmuch as both peoples are of the same Arian family, and neither Semitic; but if we must seek for a literal fulfilment of this branch of the prophecy, it may be found rather in the universal dominion of the fourth great empire, Japhetic Rome, extending over the territories, even of the most favoured children of Shem. And slavery, as an established social institution, has been pretty equally distributed among the Japhetic, Semitic, and Chamitic races, and by no means limited to the latter. The Semitic Israelites themselves, were bondslaves in Egypt, when "sojourners in the land of Ham," and now literally reversing the order of prediction, are everywhere dwelling in the tents of Japhet. The subjugation of Canaan, indeed, and the kindred tribes, by the favoured people, and the subsequent supremacy of Greece and Rome, may have been in part a literal fulfilment of the prophecy. But surely a prediction so extensive as this, comprehending the whole human race, can only be satisfied by a spiritual interpretation. The blessings of Shem and Japhet have been adequately fulfilled in the Jewish and Christian dispensations, and in the call of the Gentiles of the Roman empire to dwell in the sacred tabernacles of Shem. The curse of Canaan precluded him from immediate participation in either dispensation, and altogether, except by subsequent subjugation under the spiritual supremacy of his brethren, by his bowing down his face to the ground before them, and licking the dust of their feet; thus becoming a servant of servants" beneath the Church's sway. "His servants ye are to whom ye obey." It is interesting indeed to observe how, even under the former dispensation, the Ethiopians (Hebraicè Cush) who, as we remarked, are the most prominent Biblical representatives of the Chamitic race, (though in their passage from High Asia to the African coast, they had sustained considerable admixture, and had even contracted a Semitic language,) are brought into frequent and close intercourse with God's people. Ebed-melech the eunuch, the friend and protector of Jeremiah, was only a specimen of a class. It was an Ethiopian wife of Moses who gave such offence to Miriam and Aaron. Tradition represents the queen of Sheba to have been an Ethiopian, whether of Abyssinia or Arabia. And it is especially interesting to note the wide-spread tradition, which includes one of the dark coloured race among the three Epiphany princes. Certain it is, that among the earliest Gentile converts, was that treasurer of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who "had come to Jerusalem for to worship," and became a disciple of S. Philip. And before him, the Syrophenician woman of the Gospels, one of another branch of the Canaanitish race, was among the first to receive the crumbs of the children's Bread which fell from their Divine Master's table. All these recorded instances

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1 The question is worked out in Bruce's Travels, the author expressing his conviction that she was an Ethiopian or Cushite Shepherd, and was the means of convert-ing Abyssinia to Judaism.

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were undoubtedly tokens and promises of a general harvest, when the whole Ethiopian family should change the dark skin of its soul, and the Morian's land stretch forth her hands unto GOD.

"From Egypt," (says the excellent "Plain Commentary" on the verse of the Psalm just alluded to) "which once worshipped Apis and Isis, under the shape of the beasts of the field, came forth in after times, holy doctors, and fathers, and martyrs for God's truth; Clement, and Athanasius, and Dionysius, who were leaders of the Church, and princes indeed. And it shall not be long before the children of Cush, who have long abode in misery and ignorance, shall see the stretching out of their SAVIOUR's hands for them, and shall stretch out their hands to Him in gratitude, and prayer, and praise."

It is not easy to gather the exact religious condition of the negro tribes at present inhabiting the interior of South Africa, from the scanty notices of it in Dr. Livingstone's book. The Bishop of Oxford summarily describes it in his sermon as "fetish rites and devil worship." Fetish, or Fetiche, as it is variously spelt, is said to be a corruption of "feiticâo" (sorcery), a word adopted by the negroes from their Portuguese missionaries, and is understood to express their superstitious worship of monkey skulls, bits of bone and rag, and other wretched scare-crows, which they set up as idols. But we recollect only one instance of this degraded idolatry recorded by Livingstone, when he describes an image of dirty clay, placed on a pedestal under a shed, and approached with certain rites and veneration. He mentions, however, their emphatic profession of belief in one Supreme Being, and in inferior spiritual intelligences working through nature, and especially in the departed spirits of their relations and friends. Their superstition principally shows itself in the use of necromancy and charms. But in truth they do not seem to be naturally endowed with a large organ of veneration, on which to engraft religious faith or worship in any form. He relates more than one amusing anecdote, illustrative of this deficiency. He says almost despondingly (at the beginning of Chap. viii. ;)

"It is difficult to give an idea to an European of the little effect teaching produces; like most others, they listen with respect and attention, but when we kneel down, and address an unseen Being, the position and the act often appear to them so ridiculous, that they cannot refrain from bursting into uncontrollable laughter."

Again:

"I was once present when a missionary attempted to sing among a wild heathen tribe of Bechuanas, who had no music in their composition; the effect on the risible faculties of the audience was such that the tears actually ran down their cheeks."

'Col. Hamilton Smith, in his "Natural History of the Human Species," says it is “derived from Pet, Taraixos, of Phoenician or Egyptian origin," and connects it with necromancy.-Pp. 195, 207.

VOL. XXIV.

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Again, of another tribe, the Makololo:

"When all knelt down, many of those who had children, bent over their little ones; the children, in terror of being crushed to death, set up a simultaneous yell, which so tickled the whole assembly, there was often a subdued titter, to be turned into a hearty laugh as soon as they heard Amen.”—Chap. ix.

He then speaks of similar peccadilloes in the case of the women farther south:

"Long after we had settled at Mabotsa, when preaching on the most solemn subjects, a woman might be observed to look round, and seeing a neighbour seated on her dress, give her a hunch with the elbow to make her move off; the other would return it with interest, and perhaps the remark, Take the nasty thing away, will you?' Then three or four would begin to hustle the offenders, and the men to swear at them all, by way of enforcing silence."-Ibid.

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However, a generous testimony is borne to the evident religious impression effected by the Portuguese Jesuits, and other missionaries, and to the favourable contrast presented by the Caffres and Zulus under Christian teaching to their heathen kindred in the interior. The negroes, who have cheaply1 purchased with their slavery (miserable as the system is) even such a poor stamp of Christianity as has been commonly given them in South America, prove that the degraded children of Ham are capable of attaining to a more than ordinary religiousness of character.

"Even the untutored negro mind,'" (writes Col. Hamilton Smith) "is confiding, simple-hearted, naturally kind and hospitable. We speak not without personal experience. The female sex is affectionate, to absolute devotedness, in the character of mother, child, nurse, and attendant upon the sick, though these be strangers, and the often experienced reward scarcely amounting to thanks. As housewives, they are charitable to the wants of wayfaring visitants; within doors, orderly; and personally, very clean; they are joyous, noisy, in the night time indefatigable dancers with the men, who are in general orderly, trustworthy, brave and unrepining. Both sexes are easily ruled, and appreciate what is good, under the guidance of common justice and prudence.”2

There is surely here the most hopeful stuff to work upon, and the work, it would seem, must in GoD's good Providence be all the easier, inasmuch as their own natural character has been unequal to reason out a theological system for themselves, and left their mind and conscience comparatively free to receive the form of doctrine which is now to be imparted to them.

We are thankful indeed that a door so great and effectual in

1 We say "cheaply," especially as "at home the worst slavery is his lot, for he is there exposed to the constant peril of becoming also a victim, slaughtered with the most revolting torments."-Nat. Hist. of Human Species, p. 197.

2 Nat. Hist. of Human Species, p. 16.

furtherance of this blessed work has been opened by the same good Providence to our own English Church under unusually favourable circumstances. No doubt the first popular impulse in this direction was given by the Livingstone appeal above referred to, backed up by the author's sober statement of the practicability of the plan. A hopelessness of the climate, derived from experience of its effect upon European constitutions on both the West and East coasts, had been hitherto a chief bar to the penetration of the interior for Missionary purposes. But all groundless alarm occasioned by this cause, and by an entire ignorance of the physical character of the central districts and of the habits of the native tribes inhabiting them, has been well nigh dissipated by the clear details of Dr. Livingstone's published discoveries. With regard to the aborigines, the writer distinctly pledges his word that, "when fairly in the interior, there is perfect security for life and property among a people who will at least listen and reason." And the particular regions indicated by him for the Missionary stations are "highlands on the borders of the central basin, comparatively healthy," being sufficiently far away from the mud-banks and fever-generating malaria of the rivers and swamps. The movement, it is well known, most happily first assumed a practical organization in the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, Dublin and Durham soon after joining in the scheme. A Constitution was drawn up on the basis of collecting funds for "establishing stations in Central Africa, which may prove as centres of Christianity and civilization, for the promotion of true religion, the encouragement of agriculture and lawful commerce, and the ultimate extinction of the slave trade." Committees were formed in each of the Universities and in London, and a course of agitation and canvassing for subscriptions was set on foot throughout the country. The result was so successful, that at the end of the first year, as the report before us shows, the collections amounted to £19,723. No doubt the last object proposed by the Mission, "the ultimate extinction of the slave trade," was no secondary element in its popularity, and enlisted the active co-operation among others of the veteran Lord Brougham, who, in company with the Bishop of Oxford, attended meetings and spoke in favour of the Mission at Manchester, Leeds, and Liverpool. Sir George Grey, the then Governor of the Cape, the Bishop of Cape Town, and above all, Archdeacon Mackenzie, who was soon designated as the first Missionary Bishop, were from the first zealous advocates and promoters of the scheme; and by their exertions and those of the several committees, a very general interest was created. The estimated sum necessary for the establishment of the Mission was stated at £20,000, with an income of £2,000 a year. And the amount collected and promised, as we have seen, justified actual operations in an incredibly short time. A Missionary party, consisting of Bishop Mackenzie and, we believe, three Priests (the

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