IN WESTERN AFRICA. 
101 
This mystic order, besides regulating the wor- 
ship of the people, commerce, and the value of 
things generally, infuses into the minds of the 
common people sentiments detrimental to the 
spread of Christianity. To my certain knowledge,, 
the ^^purrow society’’ prevented the Mendi mis- 
sionaries from commencing a mission-station at 
*Wela. The head-man of that town, its inhab- 
itants, and a large portion of the people im- 
mediately thereabouts, wished it done. By per- 
mission of the head-man and of the people most in- 
terested in the place, the brethren of that mission 
had some vegetables and fruit-trees planted there, 
and a man employed to take care of them. But 
this society put ^^purrow law ” upon the place, the 
substance of which is, that no one must do any- 
thing there, either directly or indirectly, unless 
they do it by strong — by resisting and overcom- 
ing the forces of those putting the “ purrow laws ” 
there, or by war. 
This society engenders pride and selfishness, 
and is the means in the hands of Satan of leading 
its members and advocates farther into wicked- 
ness. When one joins the purrow he looks down 
with contempt upon those who do not belong to 
the society. A negro who helped navigate our 
boat a number of trips became a member of this 
society while in our employ, and the change in his 
