A Thousand Miles in a Machilla 



prestige; one white man in authority over thousands 

 of blacks. The missionary is also working for his 

 people without thought of self, but a little broader 

 view of life would be advantageous, and a little more 

 sympathy on both sides might not come amiss. 



A lady told me it was most painful to her to hear 

 familiar hymn tunes shouted all Sunday long by 

 native children. At the moment I did not much 

 sympathize, feeling that the children were happy 

 and offering praise after their own fashion. But 

 while these songs of praise were rejoicing the heart 

 of the missionary they were stabbing that of his 

 neighbour. The tunes no doubt stirred up tender 

 memories of home life in far-away England, and 

 this shouting by poor ignorant children with no 

 reverence and little devotional feeling jarred pain- 

 fully. 



These are some of the difficult problems and 

 points of view that one encounters, and give cause 

 for much reflection. 



Prejudice against missions springs from two 

 reasons ; the first a conviction that the African 

 comes of a subject race, and should be taught, and 

 more or less kept to manual labour. The second 

 is that a *' veneer of sanctity " in a native is offensive 

 to the average white man. 



In the past injudicious missionaries have some- 

 times spoiled the native, allowing him to wax fat and 

 lazy, when he becomes disinclined to work and wants 

 to ape the European. Undoubtedly the white man 

 benefits by his labour. But setting this aside, it is 

 good for the black man himself to work ; his physical 



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