File:Tramps round the Mountains of the Moon and through the back gate of the Congo State (1908) (14775702162).jpg

Identifier: trampsroundmount00john (find matches)
Title: Tramps round the Mountains of the Moon and through the back gate of the Congo State
Year: 1908 (1900s)
Authors: Johnson, Thomas Broadwood
Subjects: Africa, Central -- Description and travel Congo (Democratic Republic) -- Description and travel
Publisher: London (etc.) : T. F. Unwin
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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i-culty from the opposition of the French RomanCatholic missioners, who had arrived in the countryshortly after and had caused Mtesa much bewilder-ment by openly denouncing the Scriptures as a lyingbook. In spite of the difficulty thus presented manystill persevered with their reading and were beginningto get a grasp of the meaning of what was taughtthem. But though Christianity was gaining a hold on someof the people, their old barbarous practices still con-tinued. On one occasion, for instance, the Kingcollected together about two thousand stray way-farers gathered up from the roads, and had themall butchered on a great festival in honour of thespirit of his dead father, and nowadays, in digginground some of the old sacred trees, immense col-lections of bones are found, which are believed to bethe remains from some of these massacres. In 1884 King Mtesa died, and was succeeded by hisweak and worthless son Mwanga. To him, wishingfor the unbridled licence of the old days, the presence
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AND ITS SEQUEL 5 of Christians around was a continual and intolerableprotest; and yielding to suggestions from the oldheathen priests, who found that their reputation andinfluence were in danger of passing away, he started abrutal persecution of the Christians. The well-knowndetails may be read in the Life of Mackay —the hack-ing to pieces of his page-boys and casting them into thefire, because they were known to be people of TheBook and refused to give it up; and any one whorealises the extreme arbitrariness of a savage Africanmonarch with unbridled power can understand howgreat was the peril of those standing around him whenhis anger was aroused. Those were dreadful days ofapprehension and sorrow for the missionaries as thenews would be brought to them of this native friend orthat being done to death, and they were very anxiousthat no unnecessary risks should be run through thereaders showing themselves at the Mission Station.And yet, in spite of the danger, fresh candidates offer

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