368 UGANDA [ch. xiii 



gulfs of savagery ; and this apart from the direct 

 stimulus to development conferred by the consciously 

 and unconsciously exercised influence of the white man, 

 wherein there is much of evil, but much more of 

 ultimate good. In any region of widespread savagery, 

 the chances for the growth of each self-produced 

 civilization are necessarily small, because each little 

 centre of effort toward this end is always exposed to 

 destruction from the neighboiu'ing masses of pure 

 savagery ; and therefore progress is often immensely 

 accelerated by outside invasion and control. In Africa 

 the control and guidance is needed as much in the 

 things ot the spirit as in the things of the body. Those 

 who complain of or rail at missionary work in Africa, 

 and who confine themselves to pointing out the un- 

 doubtedly too numerous errors of the missionaries and 

 shortcomings of their flocks, would do well to consider 

 that even if the light which has been let in is but feeble 

 and grey, it has at least dispelled a worse than Stygian 

 darkness. As soon as native African religions— prac- 

 cally none of which have hitherto evolved any substantial 

 ethical basis — develop beyond the most primitive stage 

 they tend, notably in middle and western Africa, to 

 grow into malign creeds of unspeakable cruelty and 

 immorality, with a bestial and revolting ritual and 

 ceremonial. Even a poorly taught and imperfectly 

 understood Christianity, with its underlying foundation 

 of justice and mercy, represents an immeasurable 

 advance on such a creed. 



Where, as in Uganda, the people are intelligent and 

 the missionaries unite disinterestedness and zeal with 

 common sense, the result is astounding. The majority 

 of the people of Uganda are now Christian, Protestant 

 or Roman Catholic ; and many thousands among them 



