iv.] RELIGIOUS STATE. HI 



the same in his time among Jews and Gentiles and in our 

 own days among the African tribes, viz. that of the doc- 

 trine of the resurrection of the body becoming a stumbling- 

 block, — either in the form of a startling novelty, or of a 

 disproved and exploded fiction — producing blank amaze- 

 ment or stern opposition among them to whom its principles 

 may for the first time have been demonstrated. 



The doctrine of the transmigration of souls is extensively 

 held among the natives of these regions. A Balonda tribe, 

 under the Chief Bango, refused to eat cattle, because they 

 declare them to tabernacle the souls of men. Some people 

 on the eastern side will not kill lions, because the spirits of 

 their Chiefs inhabit them : concluding, like the ancient 

 Egyptians, that after the departed from this life have dwelt 

 in animals &c, for a certain time, they will return to their 

 own bodies. 



This discussion concerning the immortality of the soul 

 is a highly important and truly personal one. 



The northern tribes of South Africa have the most 

 decided belief in this doctrine. The Balonda watch, and 

 put medicine on the graves of the dead, in order to keep 

 away the witches. One of the Barotse, having a head-ache, 

 said to our Traveller, with a sad and thoughtful counte- 

 nance; " My father is scolding me because I did not give 

 him any of the food to eat," adding that he was " among 

 the Barimo '." On another occasion Dr Livingstone asked 

 these people for some relic of their dead chief Santura. 

 "O, no, he refuses." " Who refuses?" "Santura," was their 

 reply, shewing their belief in a future state of existence 2 . 



Surely with such promising prospects of a spiritual 

 harvest before the Christian world, evidenced in so many 

 ways, the soldiers of the Cross will be found with armour 

 bright, hope strong, faith unfeigned, and love unconquer- 

 able for their risen Saviour, ready, aye ready to say with 

 1 Travels, p. 331. 2 Ibid. p. 219. 



