iv.] RELIGIOUS STATE. 133 



Dr Livingstone tells us of a Bechuana woman at Mabotsa, 

 who murdered her Albino son, because her husband refused 

 to live with her; she went unpunished by the authorities 1 . 



He further informs us of a slave-girl being allowed to 

 starve by her master, because his crop had failed : also of a 

 boy being likewise left to the same fate 2 . 



These statements are not made either from a morbid 

 love of feasting on the terrible, or of painting the dark side 

 of human nature; but to prove how necessary it is for the 

 Gospel to be made known among such benighted people, in 

 order that it may transform them in the spirit of their minds, 

 and cause them truly to abandon such Satanic practices. 



We know that heathenism has its bright side ; and that 

 heathen men and women oftentimes exhibit the noblest 

 traits of character, as well as practise the kindliest of the 

 virtues. But be it remembered that this is the exception, 

 and not the rule. Conscience may sometimes work, and 

 the soul may occasionally aspire after higher and better 

 things. Kindness, affection, and even justice may some- 

 times govern for a time, but these do not affect the main 

 current, which is corrupt and poisonous. Whatever may be 

 the sins of omission and of commission of Christian lands, 

 these, in the main, are not to be compared in frequency 

 and enormity with those of heathen countries, in which the 

 best side of the question is almost entirely wanting. 



The present Religious State of the Natives of South Africa. 



"And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live ] And I 

 answei'ed, O Lord God, thou knowest." — Ezekiel xxxvii. 3. 



"And the times of this ignorance God winked at ; but now coni- 

 mandeth all men every where to repent." — Acts xvii. 30. 



The best way in which to understand a person's need, is 

 to know his state. We have just reviewed the cruelty of 



1 Travels, p. 576. 2 Ibid. p. ;ir. 



17—2 



