The Awakening of the Central African 



nature requires the exercise, and he looks to the white 

 man to guide and instruct him, and recognizes his 

 superiority. 



As to the " veneer," the native is a child in some 

 ways, and cannot help showing off. He is apt to 

 lose his natural simplicity, and perhaps has not 

 acquired how could it be expected ? modesty, the 

 civilized equivalent. 



There can be no two opinions as to the elevating 

 effect industrial and supervised manual labour have 

 on the native character physically and mentally ; 

 but too much book work, except in exceptional 

 cases, will do more harm than good. There are 

 but few openings at present for the educated black 

 man in Central Africa, and if he goes farther afield 

 he competes with the white man in markets already 

 overstocked. 



We will put aside the religious question in regard 

 to missions ; from that aspect there can be no argu- 

 ment. Let us look at the worldly point of view. 

 To any one with an open mind it must appear that 

 we incur heavy responsibility if we give the African 

 native no uplifting, and still go on penetrating into 

 his country. The march of civilization cannot be 

 stayed; in a few years' time there will not be any 

 portion of the Dark Continent unexplored. The 

 inhabitants will come into contact with every kind 

 of white man ; their own savage codes and rules 

 of life will be discarded ; something higher and 

 better must take their place. 



That a certain amount of education is necessary 

 before natives are fitted to understand the Gospel 



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