60 CROSS AND CROWN. 



family. The missionary did not need instruct Sechele concern- 

 ing the impropriety or sinfulness of some of his customs. His 

 own intelligence discovered his duty, and in the bitterness of his 

 struggle he cried : " Oh ! I wish you had come to this country 

 before I became entangled in the meshes of our customs." 

 Here was a heathen chief. The chiefs under him were identi- 

 fied with him and bound to him by the wives whom he had 

 taken. If he abandons polygamy he offends the under chiefs ; 

 he shakes the whole tribe to its circumference. Two years and 

 a half he battled with these difficulties ; the convictions of duty 

 were permanent ; the sacrifice stood facing the service. It was 

 the old and ever-new Cross against the Crown. 



During those two years and a half Sechele co-operated with 

 Dr. Livingstone heartily, and manifested much concern that the 

 gospel might be accepted by his people. Indeed, he proposed 

 to introduce it in true African style, by the lash of his whip. 

 Then, when discouraged from that method, he wondered and 

 grieved that only in this, where of all things he would have 

 them imitate him, his people despised his example. At length 

 the hour came ; the decision was strong. Sechele asked for bap- 

 tism, and, influenced entirely by his own convictions of right, 

 broke away from all those customs which he perceived to be 

 improper. He sent home all of the wives except his first, and 

 gave to her his heart anew in Christian purity. This interfer- 

 ence of Christianity with polygamy is one of its most unpopular 

 features in Africa. But the directness and nearness of Christian 

 approach to God, the setting aside not only of their customs, 

 but of their superstitions, is a still greater difficulty. 



Most conspicuously among the Bakwains was their faith in 

 the art or power of the rain-maker. Their country borders on 

 the desert ; frequently they need water ; the rains are withholden ; 

 there are men who profess to bring rain ; they administer medi- 

 cine to the elements ; they claim the rain, if it comes, as brought 

 by them ; if it does not come, then they argue, " No man is 

 expected to succeed in every particular matter." Now, Religion 

 says, Ask God for rain ; they prefer to ask the rain-doctor ; they 

 cannot see God ; they see the rain-doctor ; they see his medicine 

 bag ; they are in trouble ; they think their ancestors got rain so. 

 It is hard for them to decide ; they cling to the superstition. 



