204 Seven Years in Central Africa. [Feb. 
the support of such folly, and to do so might lead to the annoy- 
ance 'of all servants of the Lord who come after me, by encourag- 
ing and perpetuating the practice. 
The custom also of giving presents to head-men, minor chiefs, 
etc., who have no lawful claim to receive' tribute, I have opposed, 
thus raising no little amount of dissatisfaction. 
At the Barotse I gave, with little discrimination, all I had; 
my chief thought was to be acceptable to them, and to be liked. 
I succeeded in this. I fear, however, that it was not a godly 
success, or one to God's glory. I have but little with me, and 
with that little I am bound to see to the needs of the men who 
have patiently come this long way with me, and to speed them 
well on their return to their homes. 
A question often arises in my mind as to how far we ought to 
go in such a country as this in pushing school-work ; i.e., teaching 
to read and write, etc. It seems to be a sure way of securing, 
in the future, an increase of ''church membership," but of the 
sort that are brought up to it by the cold process of education, 
whose spiritual condition is generally very questionable. In 
other countries, where education is more general and valued by 
the people from a purely secular point of view, reasons doubtless 
present themselves to missionaries why they should lay themselves 
out especially for that work ; chiefly, I should think, because of 
the daily opportunity given of presenting Christ to the scholars. 
As to the wisdom of urging the knowledge of reading upon those 
who have professed Christ's name, or who are evidently inquiring 
after Him, I have no doubt; else how could they take heed 
to the injunction, "Give attendance to reading?" 
COTTAGE IN USE. 
I am in my house at last. Plastering the walls has been 
a slow and tedious process. Indeed, the house stood so long 
with its heavy thatch covering, and with walls of poles, through 
which the wind could play at its pleasure, that the roof got 
somewhat twisted, and the thatch dishevelled. I have tried 
to make the mud-plaster as perfect as possible, and with a good 
plank door I shall hope to be able to regulate the atmosphere 
inside, which I think will help greatly towards a more even 
condition of health. 
