A PLEA FOR THE NATIVE 405 



accomplishing. The civil servant does his best, and in 

 East Africa, as I have again and again said, it is a very noble 

 best. But the civil officer changes often. Scarcely has he 

 learned to know, even slightly, the needs of the tribes he 

 governs, when unknown high powers call him away to some 

 other post. The missionary remains ; he learns his language, 

 at last he learns to think his thoughts. Lieutenant-Gov- 

 ernor Jackson once said to me: "Quite apart from the great 

 good they do as interpreters of native needs and aims, 

 the missionaries are absolutely invaluable to the govern- 

 ment." And he added, speaking of one we both honoured: 

 "He thinks Kikuyu." 



But if our missionaries had brought or could bring 

 to-morrow, to these dark races who are prepared to so love 

 and follow them, a very much less complex, a quite simple 

 religion, I cannot but believe Christianity would have had 

 a success in East Africa that it has certainly failed to obtain. 



Frankly, I think a great opportunity was thrown away. 

 I am afraid I am right in saying "was," for I am not sure 

 that it can now be recalled, even were Christians willing or 

 able to recall it. 



Africa is becoming not Christian but Mohammedan, 

 and it is becoming Mohammedan in spite of the immense 

 advantage Christianity naturally has over the latter religion, 

 owing to the fact that the rulers of the land are Christian. 

 Mohammedanism wins one hundred, where Christianity 

 wins one, because Mohammedanism gives the native what 

 he can understand, what he wants, while it leaves him in 

 possession of much that he is not willing to part with; 

 much that I think he should not be asked to part with. 

 To make little of the influence of Mohammedanism is not 

 wise. To deny its influence on the native for good, is not 

 just. It means a real step forward for the East African 

 when he becomes a follower, even in the name of the Prophet. 



His new religion lifts him out of mere tribalism into a 



