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 3 1822 01080 4128
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF 
 CALIFORNIA 
 
 SAN DIEGO
 
 BV 362S Nf, n igoo 
 
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 3 1822 01080 4128 
 
 
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 THE BLACK BISHOP 
 
 SAMUEL ADJAI CROWTHER 
 
 BY 
 
 JESSE PAGE, F.R.G.S. 
 
 WITH PREFACE BY EUGENE STOCK, D.C.L. 
 
 LATE EPITORIAL SF.CRETAR1' OF THK CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY 
 
 WITH 1 6 ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAP 
 
 FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY 
 NEW YORK : CHICAGO
 
 WILLIAM BRENDON AND SON, LTD. 
 
 PRINTERS 
 
 PLYMOUTH, ENGLAND
 
 TO 
 THE RIGHT HON. 
 
 SIR GEORGE D. TAUBMAN GOLDIE 
 
 P.C, K.C.M.G., D.C.L., LL.D., F.R.S. 
 
 THE FOUNDER OF NIGERIA, 
 
 WHO WAS A FRIEND OF THE LATE 
 
 BISHOP CROWTHER 
 
 AND IS THE EARNEST WELL-WISHER OF 
 
 THE WEST AFRICAN RACE, 
 
 THIS VOLUME 
 
 IS DEDICATED BY KIND PERMISSION.
 
 PREFACE 
 
 "\ ^ riTH real pleasure I respond to Mr. Page's kind 
 request that I should write a brief preface to 
 his book. I knew Bishop Crowther well, and greatly 
 appreciated the simplicity of his character and the 
 devotion of his whole heart and life to the Niger 
 Mission. It is a good and a right thing that his bio- 
 graphy should be written ; good and right also to 
 dwell most fully upon the central parts of his long 
 career as Mr. Page has done. The story of his rescue 
 from the slave ship and of his early days, both before 
 and after that decisive moment in his hfe, is tolerably 
 familiar, having been told in speeches and lectures 
 and books and magazines innumerable. Many amongst 
 us have vivid recollections of the times of difficulty 
 and controversy that caused his later years to be some- 
 what shadowed. What the author of this biography 
 has mainly sought to do, and has done with skill and 
 judgment, is to portray the missionary Bishop at work 
 during the earlier years of the Niger Mission.
 
 vi PREFACE 
 
 Samuel Crowther's career was unique. A kidnapped 
 slave in 1821, a rescued slave in 1822, a mission school- 
 boy in 1823, a baptized Christian in 1825, a college 
 student in 1826, a teacher in 1828, a clergyman in 
 1843, a missionary to the country whence he had been 
 stolen in 1845, the founder of a new mission in 1857, 
 the first negro bishop in 1864, — where is the parallel 
 to such a life ? And what a famihar figure he was to 
 us at home ! Ten times in seventy years he came to 
 England. In his later years as Bishop he was in 
 constant demand as a speaker all over the country, 
 and his absolute unselfishness and cheerful readiness 
 to be at everybody's service were an example indeed 
 to " deputations." If he had accomplished nothing 
 in Africa he would still have been a valuable helper 
 of the missionary cause among ourselves. But, in 
 fact, after all possible deductions, he accompHshed 
 much in Africa. Amid circumstances of almost un- 
 exampled difficulty he went steadily on his way ; and 
 if the Upper Niger in his Hfetime bore little fruit, the 
 Delta to-day, with its cannibalism and infanticide 
 and horrible superstitions practically at an end — 
 though not its sin, and who could expect that? — is a 
 monument to Bishop Crowther's indomitable perse- 
 verance in a holy cause. He lived in an atmosphere 
 of suspicion and scandal, yet no tongue, however
 
 PREFACE vii 
 
 malicious, ventured to whisper reproach against his 
 personal character. Some might criticize his adminis- 
 tration; no one ever questioned his sincerity and 
 simplicity. 
 
 I heard of his death one Sunday morning while I 
 was in Rome, in January, 1892. I was to address 
 Signor Capellini's band of earnest Christian Itahan 
 soldiers that evening. I put aside the subject I had 
 chosen and told them the story of Samuel Crowther. 
 Never, surely, had an audience been more surprised 
 and interested. 
 
 I commend Mr. Page's volume heartily to the 
 reader of missionary books ; and the Mission, with its 
 modem developments under Bishop Tugwell, Bishop 
 James Johnson, Archdeacon Crowther (the Bishop's 
 son), Archdeacon Dennis, Dr. Miller, and others, to 
 the prayers and sympathies of all Christian people.
 
 AUTHOR'S FOREWORD 
 
 IT is a reminder of the flight of time that twenty 
 years have passed since I saw Bishop Crowther 
 and wrote a short sketch of his hfe in my series of 
 missionary biographies pubhshed by Messrs. Part- 
 ridge. Since then much has happened. The sickle of 
 that great Reaper, who strews his swath with full ripe 
 golden corn and frail young flowerets, has gathered 
 this good old man Home. And now, after all these 
 years, his son, Archdeacon D. C. Crowther, on behalf 
 of the family and many friends, has asked me to pre- 
 pare from the mass of papers and letters left behind 
 by his father a complete biography upon a scale and 
 with a fulness worthy of his character and career. 
 
 The task has not been an easy one, but it has been 
 made possible by the kind co-operation of the Church 
 Missionary Society, to whom I have been so much 
 indebted in respect of my previous books, and in this 
 particular instance they have rendered me a priceless 
 service. I have had the privilege of perusing their 
 Niger correspondence during the long period of
 
 X AUTHOR'S FOREWORD 
 
 Crowther's career as student, schoolmaster, catechist, 
 clergyman, explorer, and finally as Bishop of the Niger. 
 It has been literally a labour of love to collate, with 
 necessary care, not only this mass of valuable material 
 in the archives of Salisbury Square, but the hundreds 
 of letters and MSS. sent me from West Africa. I am 
 grateful for the help also afforded me by some of the 
 Bishop's old friends, amongst whom I would specially 
 mention the Rev. Canon Henry Venn, a name to him 
 so full of sacred associations ; Archdeacon James 
 Hamilton, who was with him on the Niger in those 
 closing years ; Bishop James Johnson, his old and 
 true yoke-fellow, still in the field; and the Rev. J. 
 Bradford Whiting, his commissary in England and 
 greatly esteemed friend. Last, and certainly not 
 least, I have to thank Dr. Eugene Stock for his 
 kindness in looking over my proof sheets and for 
 the Preface which he has so appropriately written 
 for this work. 
 
 I will only add that it has been my earnest endeavour 
 in these pages to allow the Bishop to speak for him- 
 self, and to reappear to his friends, old and new — 
 enemies he has none — as a living personality, exercising 
 those gifts of head and heart with which God endowed 
 him for that great work to which He called him amidst 
 his own kindred and people.
 
 AUTHOR'S FOREWORD xi 
 
 Nigeria has a future of great promise before it, 
 although it may be some time before Lagos becomes 
 the Liverpool of West Africa, and the lordly Niger the 
 highway of a prosperous and developed Protectorate 
 of the British Empire. Still, every mile of railway 
 brings this consummation nearer, and, in a deeper 
 sense, every Christian convert makes it more possible. 
 There are difficulties to face, of which climate takes a 
 second place to-day, and the resources of a wise and 
 courageous statescraft will be taxed to the uttermost 
 in their settlement. But if in the remaking of this 
 nation we lay our foundations in righteousness, eUmi- 
 nating all those hurtful elements which give us trouble 
 at home, it may be the lot of these Black children of 
 our world-wide Empire to dwell in safety under the 
 smile of Heaven. And assuredly all along the line of 
 her coming history, however chequered it may be, the 
 sons of Africa will never forget the memory of one 
 who, sharing their sorrows as one of themselves, 
 exalted their race in honour and lived and laboured 
 for his country and his God. 
 
 JESSE PAGE
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Preface ....... v 
 
 Author's Foreword . . . • . ix 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 A Little Slave Boy ..... » 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 Schoolmaster and Explorer . . . -33 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 From College to Mission Field . . .68 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 Up the Niger Again . . • • . m 
 
 CHAPTER V 
 The Mission Planted and Firstfruits . . 146 
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 Consecration and After . . . . .183
 
 xiv CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 PAGE 
 
 The Bishop Kidnapped . . . . .211 
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 In Labours more Abundant .... 240 
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 Correspondence and Counsels . . . .275 
 
 CHAPTER X 
 Storm Clouds and Sunbeams . . . .314 
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 In the Crucible and at Rest .... 347 
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 The Field — To-dav and To-morrow . . . 390 
 
 Index 433
 
 ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 FouRAH Bay College 
 
 Some of the Bishop's Old Friends 
 
 Caves of Olumo Rock, Abeokuta 
 
 Market Place, Lagos 
 
 Visit of Mohammedan Chiefs 
 
 Opobo Women and Children 
 
 Bonny Chief and Wives . 
 
 Fetish House at Angiama 
 
 Delta School and Native Teacher 
 
 The Bishop and his Native Clergy 
 
 Congregation leaving St. James, Bonny 
 
 Akwete Chapel and Pastorate Boat . 
 
 Archdeacon D. C. Crowther 
 
 Christ Church, Lagos 
 
 Dedication of St. Stephen's, Bonny 
 
 Four Niger Bishops to-day 
 
 Map of C.M.S. Missions in West Africa 
 
 PAGE 
 36 
 
 61 
 
 84 
 112 
 149 
 172 
 200 
 230 
 264 
 290 
 316 
 
 364 
 378 
 
 394 
 416 
 440 
 
 XV

 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 
 
 AFRICA is the mystery land of the world. It is 
 ■i~^ old as the everlasting hills, and yet in a sense 
 newborn, for the maps of a century ago had nothing 
 to disclose of its vast interior but blank spaces, as un- 
 discovered as the North Pole. Since then, however, 
 explorers have penetrated these solitudes, and in the 
 subsequent scramble for empire the flags of the 
 foreigner have been busy in the partition by pin- 
 pricks of this immense anybody's land. 
 
 And yet the traveller thither often finds himself a 
 modern trespasser on ancient landmarks, and dis- 
 covers in the gloom of her forests vestiges of noble 
 cities, the habitation of a people beyond the horizon 
 of history. The Dark Continent, shadowed in more 
 ways than one, is the tomb of a long past age of life 
 and activity, for the dust of all the Pharaohs and the 
 pomp and intellectual affluence of Egypt lie silent at 
 the bottom of her sea of sand. 
 
 Imagination calls back to being again her glorious 
 past, reminding us that she has been the mother of 
 mighty sons. Once her ancient northern cities were 
 the sanctuaries of learning, and amid the darkness
 
 2 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 
 
 shone the lamps of Divine truth where Christianity, 
 still young, inspired its confessors and saints. Through 
 the grey haze of centuries we seem to see again Ter- 
 tullian busy with his parchments ; catch a glimpse of 
 the white-haired Cyprian followed by a wailing crowd 
 to martyrdom ; see Origen, defender of the faith ; 
 Athanasius, his face against the world ; and Augustine, 
 with eyes full of heartbreak : truly a vision of wonder- 
 ful memories. Then the shadows creep up again and 
 thicken, for days of wild declension came when the 
 glory of that early Church gave place to darkness, her 
 lights blurred with heresy and in blood outblown. 
 
 At first sight there seems a wide historical distance 
 between the days of those primitive fathers and the 
 African Church of our time, a far cry from Carthage 
 to Calabar, for we often fail to realize that those great 
 councils of the early centuries were crowded with 
 African bishops, representing hundreds of native 
 churches in the country northward. This fact estab- 
 lishes some link of association between those great 
 ecclesiastics of old and the black prelate whose re- 
 markable history these pages will endeavour to record. 
 
 While Africa has her history her children can boast 
 of a lineage, and find no httle gratification in tracing 
 the branches of their genealogical tree. The negro can, 
 of course, claim no title of centuries, and is destitute 
 of those legal muniments which attest the ancestry of 
 the white man. Tradition is good enough for him, and 
 he is satisfied that sometimes his short line of " for- 
 bears " not only mingles with royal blood, but skirts 
 relationship with distant deities. We may not be pre-
 
 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 3 
 
 pared to take their evidence too seriously, but the 
 family records wliich trace the descent and parentage 
 of Bishop Crowther deserve a brief mention here. 
 
 He was by birth a pure Yoruba of the great 
 Yoruba kingdom, which, according to the arokin, or 
 chronicles, was at the end of the eighteenth century 
 ruled by Ajabo, a powerful monarch, succeeded in 
 1770, or possibly later, by a famous King Abiodun, 
 who by the family tree is shown to be the maternal 
 great-great-grandfather of the Bishop. Tradition as- 
 cribes many virtues to this potentate, whose name 
 simply signifies " a child bom during an annual 
 festivity." His daughter Osu became the mother of 
 Olaminigbin, the modest meaning of which is " all my 
 joys, honour, and glory are laid low," who in turn 
 became the husband of Omo-oga-Egun and the father 
 of Ibisomi-T'-Elerin-masa, the mother of the subject 
 of this biography. She also possessed, however, a 
 special dignity, being known among her people as 
 Afala, signifying the princess or priestess of the great 
 god Obatala, or " Lord of the White Cloth," whose 
 province was to bring order and beauty out of chaos, 
 his supposed habitation being a sphere of absolute and 
 dazzHng purity. The distinctive honour of Afala was 
 that she was responsible to keep pure and clean the 
 snowy raiment and unblemished curtains of this deity. 
 Leaving these high latitudes of myth and mystery, it 
 may be noted, in passing, that in African ancestry the 
 maternal side has always a special importance and 
 value. 
 
 On his father's side the Bishop belonged to the clan
 
 4 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 
 
 " Edii," and his grandfather was the Bale or Duke of 
 Awaiye-petii, who had migrated into the Yoruba 
 country from Ketu. He appears to have been a man 
 of great wealth, amassed by the trade of weaving a 
 peculiar fabric, specially designed for the use of the 
 King of Erin, and this " aso elerin " became the 
 recognized production of the family looms. 
 
 It only remains to add a word as to the origin of 
 his birthplace. Some of his ancestors, the ancient 
 princes of Oyo-Ile, founded a colony to which they 
 gave the name Iba-Agbakin, that is to say, " to pull 
 through the course of life and keep on peaceful terms 
 with the world one needs to be very careful." Not- 
 withstanding this sapient title, rivalries broke out, 
 and in due time another settlement was established 
 and called Oshogun, literally " It is not Uke medicine," 
 the native explanation of which is that " wisdom being 
 the gift of the gods, unlike medicine, is freely imparted 
 from man to man." In Africa, it must be remembered, 
 the names of persons and places have distinctive 
 meanings. 
 
 It was in this little town, at a date which cannot be 
 precisely determined, but was probably in the year 
 1806, the little black boy was born who was destined 
 to a career of conspicuous honour and usefulness, 
 certainly the most remarkable representative of his 
 race in modern times. The name Adjai, which his 
 parents gave him, was a significant title or proper 
 name, only given to a child born with his face to the 
 ground, a natal peculiarity very rare, and considered 
 by the natives of the West Coast of Africa to forecast
 
 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 5 
 
 a remarkable future. Because of this, his parents, 
 according to Yoruba custom, made their little boy a 
 present of some white fowls and were, moreover, per- 
 plexed to know to which of the four hundred tribal 
 gods he should be dedicated. They therefore repaired 
 to the shrine of Ifa, the god of divination, whose priest, 
 called haha lawo, i.e. " father who has a secret," was 
 always ready, for a consideration, to inquire of the 
 oracle on behalf of the troubled and fearful of the 
 people. In some cases a whitened board was em- 
 ployed, similar to those used as slates in Moslem 
 schools, upon which strange figures were drawn and 
 from which still stranger calculations were made. Or 
 the priest would simply produce the carved wooden 
 Ifa bowl, in which thirty spHt palm nuts were shuffled 
 and the decision of the god announced after counting 
 the whites and the browns. In this particular case 
 the oracle certainly gave remarkable counsel as regards 
 little Adjai. The priest declared that on no account 
 was the child to be a devotee of any idol worship, for 
 he was destined to be an Aluja, that is, one celebrated 
 and distinguished, to serve the great and highest God 
 and no idol whatever. By this he implied the principal 
 deity, spoken of as Olorun, the maker of heaven and 
 earth, the great sky god, a sort of deified firmament. 
 It is still usual on the Niger, in answer to the customary 
 salutation, " Have you risen well ? " to answer, " A 
 yin Olorun," i.e. " thanks to Olorun." 
 
 His parents, however, were mightily disappointed 
 by this flattering prophecy, for Olorun was specially 
 honoured by the Mohammedan Foulahs, who also
 
 6 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 
 
 were the bitter enemies of the Yorubas. They seem 
 to have paid the consultation fee of two or three heads 
 of cowries, equal to one shilling and threepence of 
 English money, and bade the priest an abrupt and 
 dissatisfied good-bye. On their homeward way they 
 mused in silence upon what they had heard, and in- 
 wardly resolved to carefully watch the tendencies of 
 the growing mind of this little boy of theirs, who, all 
 unconscious of his importance in the world, skipped 
 along between them. 
 
 Adjai's father continued the family trade of weaving, 
 and was, in a way, a well-to-do and prosperous man, 
 owning a little property some seven miles from the 
 town ; he was also one of the headmen or councillors, 
 and in consequence of these responsibilities handed 
 over his farm very much to the care of his elder son, 
 Bola by name. Meanwhile Adjai grew apace, and 
 became quite a successful breeder of poultry, finding 
 a market for his fowls and becoming passing rich in 
 the possession of a head of cowrie shells worth six- 
 pence. He was still only a little boy, and at the age 
 of eight years had secured for himself a piece of land 
 near his father's farm, and after a period of training 
 under his brother Bola, Adjai became quite clever in 
 the cultivation of yams, the staple food of the people. 
 Morning and evening the youthful gardener trudged 
 seven miles to his work, cheering himself with one of 
 the proverbs of his country, inculcating habits of 
 industry — " When the day dawTis every trader to his 
 trade; the spinner takes his spindle, the warrior his 
 shield, the weaver stoops to his batten [shuttle], the
 
 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 7 
 
 farmer arises with his hoe, and the warrior takes his 
 bow and arrow," in other words, no one is idle. 
 It was the custom for the boys and youths of Oshogun 
 to form themselves into little clubs to help each other 
 in their small farms in case of need. Of such a club 
 Adjai was made captain and president, and its forty 
 members doubtless recognized in the boy with the 
 auspicious name one who was going to make his way 
 in the world. 
 
 In these memories of very early days we have 
 another incident which shows the courage of the boy 
 and his respect for the religion of his parents. The 
 household gods of the Yorubas are many, and on one 
 occasion the house caught fire and the father, having 
 called his family from their perilous position, cried out, 
 " O my gods, my gods ! They are in the house and 
 wiU be burned." Adjai promptly rushed through the 
 flaming doorway and brought all the idols back in 
 safety, amid the cheers of the neighbours, who cried 
 out, " This child will be a great worshipper of the gods ; 
 he will one day restore the gods to our nation ! " 
 
 A new home was, however, soon established ; the 
 family, gods and all, resumed their old places, and 
 Adjai, now about thirteen years of age, was again 
 busy with his poultry and his yams. Whether in those 
 days of his boyhood he ever dreamed dreams of the 
 future, or like Joseph of old had intimations of being 
 a spiritual ruler in a greater kingdom than Egypt ever 
 knew, we cannot discover. But to a youth of such 
 alert mind, already taking precedence among his 
 fellows, the talk of his parents and neighbours would
 
 8 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 
 
 scarcely fall upon inattentive ears. From the accident 
 of his birth being under special circumstances he had 
 acquired the name of " the lucky one " ; possibly his 
 scrupulous observance of religious rites would also en- 
 hance his reputation as one blessed by the gods. This 
 much, however, is certain to us : in the light of that long 
 and noble life, beneath that thatched roof under the 
 bombax and palm trees of Oshogun, a new era for the 
 African race was being born. The spring of this young 
 life, which was bubbling up amid the simple surround- 
 ings of this Yoruba town, was on the eve of a new 
 impulse, a catastrophe which, like a fallen rock, should 
 obliterate its peaceful meanderings and force it into 
 new and tumultuous courses. To some lives the part- 
 ing of the ways is reached much later on ; it was given 
 to this boy to suffer in his springtide, and to drink the 
 cup of sorrow in a darkness which seemed to eclipse 
 all his radiant morn. But he lived to see the silver 
 lining of the cloud and to find, as we all must do, that 
 God's ways are best, and not less so because in the 
 time of trial our eyes are holden. In the breaking of 
 the day, as in the breaking of the bread, we cry, " It 
 is the Lord," and are satisfied. 
 
 A few years later, when the storm was over and gone, 
 
 God smiled back from the retreating cloud 
 
 Crowther sat down in the college room and wrote in 
 a long letter the story of this experience which changed 
 the current of his life, a precious scrap of autobio- 
 graphy. To his present biographer the story has a 
 deep and tender interest, not only as a fragment
 
 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 9 
 
 written by a hand that can be clasped no more, but 
 as recalHng many sweet seasons of personal inter- 
 course, when in that little upper room at Salisbury 
 Square the venerable Bishop recounted those early 
 griefs. His wonderfully expressive face all alight with 
 emotion, the bright, searching eyes suffused with tears, 
 ever and anon the recital was broken by fervent thanks- 
 givings to God. And now, from his written and fami- 
 liar testimony, let him tell his story once again. 
 
 I suppose some time about the commencement of the year 
 1 82 1 I was in my native country, enjoying the comforts of 
 father and mother and the affectionate love of brothers and 
 sisters. From this period I must date the unhappy, but which 
 I am now taught in other respects to call blessed day, which I 
 shall never forget in my life. I call it unhappy day because 
 it was the day on which I was violently turned out of my 
 father's house and separated from my relations, and in which 
 I was made to experience what is called "to be in slavery." 
 "With regard to its being called blessed — it being the day which 
 Providence had marked out for me to set out on my journey 
 from the land of heathenism, superstition, and vice to a place 
 where His Gospel is preached. 
 
 For some years war had been carried on in my Ey6 coun- 
 try, which was always attended with much devastation and 
 bloodshed, the women, such men as had surrendered or were 
 caught, with the children, were taken captive. The enemies 
 who carried on these wars were principally the Ey6 Moham- 
 medans, with whom my country abounds, who with the 
 Foulahs and such foreign slaves as had escaped from their 
 owners, joined together, made a formidable force of about 
 twenty thousand ; which annoyed the whole country. They 
 had no other employment but selling slaves to the Spaniards 
 and Portuguese on the coast. 
 
 The morning on which my town Oshogun shared the same 
 fate which many others had experienced was fair and delight- 
 ful, and most of the inhabitants were engaged in their re- 
 spective occupations. We were preparing breakfast without 
 any apprehension, when about 9 a.m. a rumour was spread 
 in the town that the enemies had approached with intentions
 
 10 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 
 
 of hostility. It was not long after, when they had almost 
 surrounded the town to prevent any escape of the inhabitants. 
 The town was rudely fortified by a wooden fence about four 
 miles in circumference, containing about twelve thousand in- 
 habitants and producing three thousand fighting men. 
 
 The inhabitants not being duly prepared, some not being 
 at home, but those who were having about six gates to defend, 
 as well as many weak places about the fence to guard against 
 — and to say, in a few words, the men being surprised and 
 therefore confounded — the enemies entered the town, after 
 about three or four hours' resistance. Here the most sorrow- 
 ful scene imaginable was to be witnessed — women, some with 
 three, four, and six children clinging to their arms, with the 
 infants on their backs, running as fast as they could through 
 prickly shrubs, which, hooking their bUes (baskets) and loads, 
 threw them down from the heads of the bearers. When they 
 found it impossible to go with their loads they only endea- 
 voured to save themselves and their children. Even this was 
 impracticable with those who had many children to care for, 
 as while they were endeavouring to disentangle themselves 
 from the ropy shrubs they were overtaken and caught by the 
 enemies, by a rope noose thrown over the neck of every 
 individual, to be led in the manner of goats tied together, 
 under the drove of one man. In many cases a family was 
 violently divided between three or four enemies, who each led 
 his away to see each other no more. 
 
 I was thus caught with my mother, two sisters, one infant 
 about ten weeks old, and a cousin, while endeavouring to 
 escape in the manner described. My load consisted of nothing 
 else than my bow and five arrows in the quiver ; the bow I 
 had lost in the shrub while I was extricating myself, before 
 I could think of making any use of it against my enemies. 
 The last time I saw my father was when he came from the 
 fight to give us the signal to flee ; he entered into our house, 
 which was burnt some time back for some offence given by 
 my father's adopted son — hence I never saw him more. Here 
 I must take thy leave, unhappy, comfortless father ! I learned 
 sometime afterwards that he was killed in another battle. 
 
 Our conquerors were Ey6 Mohammedans, who led us away 
 through the town. On our way we met a man sadly wounded 
 in the head, struggling between life and death. Before we 
 got half-way through the town some Foulahs among the 
 enemies themselves hastily separated my cousin from our
 
 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY ii 
 
 number. Here also I must take thy leave, my fellow-captive 
 cousin ! His mother was living in another village. The 
 houses in the town on fire were built with wood, about twelve 
 feet from the ground, with high roofs in square forms of 
 different dimensions and spacious areas. Several of these 
 belonged to one man, adjoining to with passages communi- 
 cating with each other. The flames were very high ; we were 
 led by my grandfather's house, already desolate, and in a few 
 minutes afterwards we left the town to the mercy of the flames, 
 never to enter or see it any more. Farewell, the place of my 
 birth, the playground of my childhood, and the place which 
 I thought would be the repository of my mortal body in its 
 old age ! 
 
 We were now out of Oshogun, going into a town called 
 Neh'i, the rendezvous of the enemies, about twenty miles 
 from our town. On the way we saw our grandmother at a 
 distance, with about three or four of my other cousins taken 
 with her, for a few minutes ; she was missed through the 
 crowd to see her no more. Several other captives were held 
 in the same manner as we were — grandmothers, mothers, 
 children and cousins were all taken captives. O sorrowful 
 prospect ! The aged women were greatly to be pitied, not 
 being able to walk so fast as their children and grandchildren ; 
 they were often threatened with being put to death upon the 
 spot, to get rid of them, if they would not go as fast as others, 
 and they were often as wicked in their practice as in their 
 words. O pitiful sight ! Wliose heart would not bleed to have 
 seen this ? Yes, such is the state of barbarity in the heathen 
 land! 
 
 Evening came on, and coming to a spring of water we 
 drank a great quantity, which served us for breakfast, with 
 a little parched corn and dried meat, previously prepared by 
 our victors for themselves. During our march to Iseh'i we 
 passed several towns and villages which had been reduced to 
 ashes. It was almost midnight before we reached the town, 
 where we passed our doleful first night in bondage. It was 
 not, perhaps, a mile from the wall of Iseh'i where an old 
 woman of about sixty was threatened in the manner above 
 described. What became of her I could not learn. 
 
 The next morning, our cords being taken off our necks, 
 we were brought to the chief of our captors — for there were 
 many other chiefs — as trophies at his feet. In a little while a 
 separation took place, when my sister and I fell to the share
 
 12 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 
 
 of the chief, and my mother and the infant to the victors. 
 We dared not vent our grief in loud cries, but by very heavy 
 sobs. My mother, with the infant, was led away, comforted 
 with the promise that she should see us again when we should 
 leave Iseh'i for Dahdah, the town of the chief. In a few 
 hours after it was soon agreed upon that I should be bartered 
 for a horse in Iseh'i that very day. Thus was I separated 
 from my mother and sister for the first time in my life, and 
 the latter not to be seen more in this world. Thus in the 
 space of twenty-four hours, being deprived of liberty and all 
 other comforts, I was made the property of three different 
 persons. About the space of two months, when the chief was 
 to leave Iseh'i for his own town, the horse which was then 
 only taken on trial, not being approved of, I was restored to 
 the chief, who took me to Dahdah, where I had the happiness 
 of meeting my mother and infant sister again, with joy which 
 could be described by nothing else but tears of love and 
 affection, and on the part of my infant sister with leaps of joy. 
 Here I lived for three months, going for grass for the 
 horses with my fellow-captives. I now and then \dsited my 
 mother and sister in our captor's house without any fears or 
 thoughts of being separated any more. My mother told me 
 she had heard of my sister, but I never saw her any more. 
 At last, one unhappy evening arrived when I was sent with 
 a man to get some money at a neighbouring house. I went, 
 but with some fears for which I could not account, and to 
 my great astonishment in a few minutes I was added to the 
 number of many other captives, fettered, to be led to the 
 market town early next morning. My sleep went from me. 
 I spent almost the whole night in thinking of my doleful 
 situation with tears and sobs, especially as my mother was in 
 the same town, whom I had not visited for about a day or 
 two back. There was another boy in the same situation with 
 me ; his mother was in Dahdah. Being sleepless, I heard the 
 first cockcrow, and scarcely was the signal given when the 
 traders arose, loaded the men slaves with baggage, and with 
 one hand chained to the neck we left the town. My httle 
 companion in affliction cried and begged much to be per- 
 mitted to see his mother, but was soon silenced by punish- 
 ment. Seeing this, I dared not speak, although I thought we 
 passed by the very house my mother was in. Thus was I 
 separated from my mother and sister, my then only com- 
 forts, to meet no more in this world of misery. After a few
 
 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 13 
 
 days' travel we came to the market town of Ijahi. Here I 
 saw many who had escaped from our town to this place, or 
 who were in search of their relations, to set at liberty as many 
 as they had the means of redeeming. Here we were under 
 very close inspection, as there were many persons in search 
 of their relations, and through that many had escaped from 
 their owners. In a few days I was sold to a Mohammedan 
 woman, with whom I travelled many towns on our way to 
 the Poh-poh country on the coast, much resorted to by the 
 Portuguese to buy slaves. Wlien we left Ijahi, after many 
 halts, we came to a town called Toko. From Ijahi to Toko all 
 spoke Ebweh dialect, but my mistress Ey6, my own dialect. 
 Here I was a perfect stranger, having left the Ey6 country 
 far behind. 
 
 I lived in Toko about three months, walked about and 
 with my owner's son with some degree of freedom, it being a 
 place where my feet had never trod ; and could I possibly 
 make my way out through many a ruinous town and village 
 we had passed I should have soon become a prey to some 
 others, who would gladly have taken advantage of me. Be- 
 sides, I could not think of going a mile out of the town alone 
 at night, as there were many enormous devil houses along the 
 highway, and a woman having been lately publicly executed 
 — fired at — being accused of bewitching her husband, who had 
 died of a long, tedious sickness. Five or six heads of persons 
 who had been executed for some crime or other were never 
 wanting to be nailed on the large trees in the market places 
 to terrify others. Now and then my mistress would speak 
 with me and her son that we should by and by go to the 
 Poh-poh country, where we should buy tobacco and other 
 fine things to sell at our return. Now, thought I, this was the 
 signal of my being sold to the Portuguese, who, they often 
 told me during our journey, were to be seen in that country. 
 Being very thoughtful of this, my appetite forsook me, and 
 in a few weeks I got the dysentery, which preyed on me. I 
 determined with myself that I would not go to the Poh-poh 
 country, but would make an end of myself one way or other. 
 Several nights I attempted to strangle myself with my band, 
 but had not courage enough to close the noose tight, so as to 
 effect my purpose. May the Lord forgive me this sin ! I next 
 determined that I would leap out of the canoe into the river 
 when we should cross it on our way to that country. Thus 
 was I thinking when my owner, perceiving the great alteration
 
 14 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 
 
 which had taken place in me, sold me to some persons. Thus 
 the Lord, while I knew Him not, led me not into temptation 
 and delivered me from the evil. After my price had been 
 counted before my eyes, I was delivered up to my new owners 
 with great grief and dejection of spirit, not knowing where I 
 was now to be led. 
 
 About the first cockcrowing, which was the usual time to 
 set out with slaves to prevent their being much acquainted 
 with the way, for fear an escape should be made, we set out 
 for Elabbo, the third dialect from mine. After having arrived 
 at Ik-ke-ku ye-re, another town, we halted. In this place I 
 renewed my attempt at strangling several times at night, but 
 could not effect my purpose. It was very singular that no 
 thought of making use of a knife ever entered my mind. 
 However, it was not long before I was bartered for tobacco, 
 rum, and other articles. I remained here in fetters alone for 
 some time before my owner could get as many slaves as he 
 wanted. He feigned to treat us more civilly by allowing us 
 to sip a few drops of white man's liquor, rum, which was so 
 estimable an article that none but chiefs could pay for a jar 
 or glass vessel of four or five gallons. So remarkable it was 
 that no one should take breath before he swallowed every sip 
 for fear of having the string of his throat cut by the spirit of 
 the liquor : this made it so much more valuable. 
 
 I had to remain alone again in another town in Jabbo, the 
 name of which I do not now remember, for about two months. 
 From hence I was brought, after a two days' walk, to a slave 
 market called I'-ko-sy, on the coast, on the bank of a large 
 river, which very probably was the Lagos on which we were 
 afterwards captured. The sight of the river terrified me ex- 
 ceedingly, for I had never seen anything like it in my life. 
 The people on the opposite bank are called E'-ko. Before 
 sunset, being bartered again for tobacco, I became another 
 man's. Nothing now terrified me more than the river and 
 the thought of going into another world. Crying now was 
 nothing to vent my sorrow. My whole body became stiff. 
 I was now bade to enter the river to ford it in the canoe. 
 Being fearful of my entering this extensive water, and being 
 so cautious in every step I took, as if the next would bring 
 me to the bottom, my motion was very awkward indeed. 
 Night coming on, and the men having very little time to 
 spare, soon carried me into the canoe and placed me amongst 
 the cornbags, supplying me with an Abdlah (a cake of Indian
 
 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 15 
 
 corn) for my dinner. Almost in the same position I was 
 placed I remained with the Abdlah in my hand, quite confused 
 in my thoughts, waiting only every moment our arrival at the 
 new world, which we did not reach till about four in the 
 morning. Here I got once more into another district, the 
 fourth from mine, if I may not call it altogether another 
 language, on account of now and then, in some words, there 
 being a faint shadow of my own. 
 
 Here I must remark that during the whole night's voyage 
 in the canoe not a single thought of leaping into the river 
 entered my mind, but, on the contrary, the face of the river 
 occupied my thoughts. Having now entered E'ko, I was per- 
 mitted to go any way I pleased, there being no way of escape 
 on account of the river. 
 
 In this place I met my two nephews, belonging to different 
 masters. One part of the town was occupied by the Portu- 
 guese or Spaniards, who had come to buy slaves. Although 
 I was in E'ko more than three months I never once saw a 
 white man until one evening when they took a walk in com- 
 pany with about six and came to the street of the house in 
 which I was living. Even then I had not the boldness to 
 appear distinctly to look at them, being always suspicious 
 that they had come for me, and my suspicion was not a fancied 
 one, for in a few days after I was made the eighth in number 
 of the slaves of the Portuguese. Being a veteran in slavery — 
 if I may be allowed the expression — and having no more hope 
 of ever going to my country again, I patiently took whatever 
 came, although it was not without a great fear and trembling 
 that I received for the first time the touch of a white man, 
 who examined me whether I was sound or not. Men and boys 
 were at first chained together with a chain of about six fathoms 
 in length, thrust through an iron fetter on the neck of each 
 individual and fastened at both ends with padlocks. In this 
 situation the boys suffered the most. The men, sometimes 
 getting angry, would draw the chain most violently, as seldom 
 went without bruises on our poor little necks, especially the 
 time of sleep, when they drew the chain so close to ease them- 
 selves of its weight, in order to be able to lie more conveniently, 
 that we were almost suffocated or bruised to death, in a room 
 with one door which was fastened as soon as we entered, with 
 no other passage for communicating the air than the openings 
 under the eaves drop. And very often at night, when two or 
 three individuals quarrelled or fought, the whole drove
 
 i6 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 
 
 sufFered punishment without distinction. At last we boys 
 had the happiness to be separated from the men, when their 
 number was increased and no more chain to spare, we were 
 corded together by ourselves. Thus were we going in and out, 
 bathing together and so on. The females fared not much 
 better. Thus we were for nearly four months. 
 
 About this time intelligence was given that the English 
 were cruising on the coast. This was another subject of sorrow 
 to us — that there must be wars on the sea as well as on the 
 land — a thing never heard of before nor imagined practicable. 
 This delayed our embarkation. In the meantime the other 
 troop, which was collected in Poh-poh and was intended to 
 be conveyed into the vessel the nearest way from that place, 
 was brought into E'ko among us. Among the number was 
 Joseph Bartholomew, my brother in the service of the Church 
 Missionary Society. After a few weeks' delay we were em- 
 barked at night in canoes from E'ko to the beach, and on the 
 following morning we embarked on the vessel (a Portuguese 
 ship called the Esperanza Felix), which immediately sailed 
 away. The crew being busy in embarking us, one hundred 
 and eighty-seven in number, had no time to give us either 
 breakfast or supper, and we, being unaccustomed to the 
 motion of the vessel, sufiered the whole of the day with sea- 
 sickness, which rendered the greater part of us less fit to take 
 any food whatever. On the very same evening we were sur- 
 prised by two English men-of-war, and the next morning 
 found ourselves in the hands of war conquerors, whom we at 
 first very much dreaded, they being armed with long swords. 
 In the morning, being called up from the hold, we were 
 astonished to find ourselves among two very large men-of-war 
 and several brigs. The men-of-war were His Majesty's ships 
 Myrmidon, Captain H. G. Leeke, and Iphigenia, Captain Sir 
 Robert Mends, who captured us on 7 April, 1822, on the 
 river Lagos. Our owner was bound, with his sailors, except 
 the cook, who was preparing our breakfast. Hunger rendered 
 us bold, and not being threatened at first attempts to get 
 some fruit from the stern, we in a short time took the liberty 
 of ranging about the vessel in search of plunder of every kind. 
 Now we began to entertain a poor opinion of our new con- 
 querors. Very soon after breakfast we were divided into 
 several of the vessels around us. This was cause of new fears, 
 not knowing where our misery would end. Being now, as it 
 were, one family, we began to take leave of those who were
 
 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 17 
 
 first transported into the other vessels, not knowing what 
 would become of them and ourselves. About this time we 
 six intimate friends in affliction — among whom was my brother 
 Joseph Bartholomew — kept very close together that we might 
 be carried away at the same time. It was not long before we 
 six were conveyed into the Myrmidon, in which we discovered 
 no trace of those who were transported before us. We soon 
 concluded what had become of them when we saw part of a 
 hog hanging, the skin of which was white — a thing we never 
 saw before, as a hog was always roasted on fire to clear it of 
 the hair in my country — and a number of common shots 
 ranged along the deck. The former we supposed to be the 
 flesh and the latter the heads of the individuals who had been 
 killed for meat. But we were soon undeceived by a close 
 examination of the flesh, with cloven feet, which resembled 
 those of a hog, and by a cautious approach to the shots that 
 they were iron. In a few days we were quite at home on the 
 man-of-war ; being only six in number, we were soon selected 
 by the sailors for their boys, and were soon furnished with 
 dress. Our Portuguese owner and his son were brought over 
 in the same vessel, bound in fetters, and I, thinking I should 
 no more get into his hands, had the boldness to strike him on 
 the head while he was standing by his son — an act, however, 
 very wicked and unkind in its nature. 
 
 The youthful Adjai spent two months and a half 
 on board while the man-of-war continued her cruise 
 for slaves, and had time enough to get accustomed to 
 his new friends ; indeed, it is said that he became a 
 great favourite with the sailors as a lad of exceptional 
 quickness and intelligence. At length they reached 
 Sierra Leone, and he has made a note that on 17 June, 
 1822, he set foot again on African soil, this time as a 
 little Uberated slave. With others he was sent to a 
 missionary schoolmaster at Bathurst, a small town a 
 few miles from Freetown, and in the wise and loving 
 care of Mr. Davey and his wife, the best in the boy 
 opened as the flower to the sun. He not only regained
 
 i8 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 
 
 his health and strength, but received into his heart 
 those deeper sources of divine grace which were to fit 
 him for his future destiny of usefulness. His earliest 
 lesson in the English alphabet was, however, given 
 him by another native boy who had been there before 
 him, and the story is told that after his first day's 
 schoohng Crowther was so delighted with his new 
 taste of knowledge that he ran down into the town, 
 begged a halfpenny from one of his countrymen, and 
 with it bought for himself an alphabet card. At last 
 the gate of knowledge was really open, and in six 
 months from the day of his landing Adjai was able to 
 read his New Testament. Those early days he never 
 could forget, and was fond of recalling these scenes 
 through a long vista of years. How he would sit with 
 his books in the evening, a candle burning in the 
 middle of the table, at the head of which sat the school- 
 master's worthy wife, and by his side another httle 
 sable scholar named Asano — a girl of his own tribe 
 who had also been rescued from slavery, and of whom 
 we shall hear more later on. Possibly she also felt a 
 little gratified when Adjai was promoted to be a 
 monitor and earned his first scholastic income of 
 sevenpence halfpenny a month for his services. 
 
 But not alone was his mind being developed by 
 study — the youth was also taught a trade ; and in the 
 care of another schoolmaster, Mr. Weeks, he attained 
 a knowledge of carpentry, and from his wife more 
 steps of reading. How httle this good man imagined, 
 as he taught this boy's black fingers the use of plane 
 and chisel, that his pupil would one day wear the lawn
 
 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 19 
 
 as Bishop of the Niger, and he, in his turn, would 
 direct the see of Sierra Leone ! 
 
 The greatest incident of his hfe, and of any hfe, 
 was when he met Jesus Christ and worshipped Him, 
 saying, " My Lord and my God." To the boy's young 
 heart there came the impulse of a new life and an 
 undying love and that fuller " freedom wherewith He 
 makes His people free." On 11 December, 1825, 
 Adjai was baptized, and received as his new name 
 Samuel Adjai Crowther, after a venerable clergyman, 
 the Rev. Samuel Crowther, vicar of Christ Church, 
 Newgate Street, London, and one of the first com- 
 mittee of the Church Missionary Society. 
 
 At this point we can safely leave him for the present 
 and pause to look round with some interest upon his 
 environment and the events which have led up to 
 this first page of a unique history. With the following 
 brief historical retrospect we shall better appreciate 
 Crowther's character and career, not only as a rescued 
 slave, but for the reason that when he landed from 
 that man-of-war his feet touched one of the noblest 
 battlegrounds of missionary conquest. In all the 
 precious annals of missionary enterprise, rich as they 
 are in brave deeds, there is nothing more magnificent 
 than the costly valour which fought a good fight for 
 God and man on the shores of Sierra Leone. 
 
 The story is inseparably linked with the emancipa- 
 tion of the slave. Perhaps it may be one of the penal- 
 ties of our privileged age that we forget so soon, 
 things as they are we want to know, as to how they 
 will be we have no spirit of prophecy, for what they
 
 20 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 
 
 were we have ofttimes short memories. How difficult, 
 for example, it is to rekindle that fire of national 
 indignation which a hundred years ago freed the 
 slave. The force of that moral impulse cannot be 
 fairly measured by the purer and healthier public 
 opinion of our own day, for English politics and 
 morals were a mixed quantity at the dawn of the last 
 century. The cup of our culpability as a nation in 
 this unrighteous traffic was then full enough, and the 
 sorrows of the enslaved seemed to be forgotten in 
 earth and heaven. But justice was not left without 
 a witness to prophesy against this sin, and there sprang 
 forth men whose names are borne hither on the 
 memories of that strenuous time. 
 
 The battle began when Granville Sharp gave shelter 
 in 1765 to a suffering slave from Barbados, and on 
 the simple issue of this man's wrongs won the famous 
 dictum of Lord Mansfield that " as soon as a negro 
 set his foot on English soil he was free." Then fol- 
 lowed the faithful advocacy of the equal rights of man 
 by Thomas Clarkson, a philanthropist of purest type, 
 and William Wilberforce, with persuasive eloquence 
 lit up with flashes of kindly wit, took the lead. The 
 cause aroused bitter enemies, but it had also capable 
 and loyal friends. John Wesley and George Whitefield, 
 the two great evangelists of their age, denounced the 
 traffic in burning words. The last letter Wesley ever 
 penned, four days before he died at the house by the 
 chapel in City Road, was addressed to Wilberforce, 
 urging him to persevere in his " glorious enterprise." 
 " Go on," he writes, " in the name of God and in the
 
 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 21 
 
 power of His might till even American slavery (the 
 vilest that ever saw the sun) shall vanish away before 
 it." It must not be forgotten, however, that the 
 Society of Friends, lifting through the darkest hours 
 of history always an unquenched torch, presented the 
 first petition to the House of Commons praying that 
 something might be done to ameliorate the shocking 
 condition of the slave. By parliamentary speeches, 
 leaflets, and addresses up and down the country the 
 horrors of the middle passage, with its wholesale 
 waste of human life, were made known, and it would 
 seem amazing that any righteous or barely honest 
 man could have opposed this merciful plea. But the 
 history of all great struggles for the moral emancipa- 
 tion of men and women has taught us sufflciently that 
 any conflict with evil, means storming the ramparts of 
 self-interest with bloodshed, heartbreak, and tears. 
 Was the slave trade attacked ? Its representatives 
 must be reckoned with. So they raised the commer- 
 cial difficulty by predicting the downfall of Liverpool 
 trade, that its honest proprietors would not submit 
 to an act of confiscation so unconstitutional, that the 
 public revenue would suffer beyond recall, and then, 
 dexterously standing on another foot, they hunted up 
 a Book they did not believe in, and pleaded the sacred 
 antiquity of the traffic, and that, moreover, the slave 
 was happy in his lot. Perhaps it were more charitable 
 to human nature to forbear to awaken these echoes of 
 obstruction which were lost in the acclamation of 
 victory when on 25 March, 1807, the Bill for the 
 Abolition of the British Slave Trade became law.
 
 22 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 
 
 Even then, however, its opponents endeavoured to 
 drive the proverbial carriage and four horses through 
 the provisions of the statute. The penalties for slave 
 trading were simply pecuniary, and to the dismay of 
 Wilberforce and his friends the traffic went up by 
 leaps and bounds, for it paid handsomely to square 
 the penalties. Lord Brougham (then plain Mr.) tried 
 to checkmate this by a further Act making the offence 
 a felony punishable with imprisonment with hard 
 labour, but it was not until the Act of 1824 was passed, 
 declaring it to be piracy with a death penalty, that the 
 law was duly respected. 
 
 But although the slave trade was condemned, the 
 practice and system of slavery had yet to receive its 
 legal death blow, and Wilberforce, now aged and 
 weary, passed the sword to the younger hand of Mr. 
 (afterwards Sir) Thomas Fowell Buxton. It was a 
 glorious succession. The new leader declared war by 
 moving the historic resolution, " That the state of 
 slavery is repugnant to the principles of the British 
 Constitution and of the Christian religion, and that 
 it ought to be gradually abolished throughout the 
 British colonies with as much expedition as may be 
 found consistent with a due regard of the well-being of 
 the parties concerned." To us there seems a super- 
 fluous modesty about the verbal drawing of the de- 
 mand, but its opponents gathered its ultimate issue, 
 and the eyes of Wilberforce glistened with dehght as 
 Fowell Buxton declared : 
 
 " The object at which we aim is the extinction of 
 slavery — nothing less than the extinction of slavery —
 
 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 23 
 
 in nothing less than the whole of the British Do- 
 minions." And then, replying to some taunts of 
 enthusiasm, he exclaimed : 
 
 "There are such enthusiasts. I am one of them, 
 and while we breathe we will never abandon the cause 
 till that thing, that chattel, is reinstated in all the 
 privileges of man." 
 
 It was soon seen that the second step in the emanci- 
 pation of the negro was to invoke a bigger and more 
 protracted struggle than the first. The Anti-Slavery 
 Society was estabhshed, and the term " Abolitionist " 
 was at once an honour and a reproach. But after 
 years of conflict the victory was won. On 7 August, 
 1833, the Bill was passed ; on i August, 1834, 
 every slave was free, and four years afterwards the 
 apprenticeships ceased throughout the Colonies, and 
 slavery, root and branch, was ended. 
 
 And now from this glorious event, which may be 
 called the Magna Charta of the black man's freedom, 
 we pass to a land called " the white man's grave." 
 While the friends of the slave were struggling for his 
 emancipation in 1786, thankful when, as Cowper sang. 
 
 Slaves cannot breathe in England ; if their lungs 
 Receive our air, that moment they are free — 
 They touch our country and their shackles fall, 
 
 a practical difficulty presented itself. What shall we 
 do with these slaves when free ? Their altered circum- 
 stances were soon evidenced by hundreds of black 
 beggars on the streets, and these naturally flocked to 
 the door of Granville Sharp and their other friends 
 for relief of their necessities. As a result of this a plan
 
 24 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 
 
 was arranged with this ancient title : "A settlement 
 to be made near Sierra Leone on the grain coast of 
 Africa, intended more particularly for the service and 
 happy establishment of Blacks and People of Colour, 
 to be shipped as freemen under the Direction of the 
 Committee for Relieving the Black Poor and under 
 the Protection of the British Government." 
 
 In pursuance of this, a little fleet of liberated negroes, 
 with a fair proportion of European women (who might 
 have been well spared), sailed for the West Coast of 
 Africa in April, 1787, under convoy of a man-of-war, 
 whose commander, on arriving, acquired a strip of 
 coast in the name of King George. This, from the 
 contour of its mountains, was called Sierra Leone, and 
 identified as the spot where the slave-raiding vessels 
 of Hawkins in the spacious days of Elizabeth captured 
 their living cargo. Never was a merciful mission so 
 iU-starred as this new settlement. Disease, disorder, 
 mutinies, and aggressions of the natives soon brought 
 the place to early ruin. Later on a fresh contingent 
 of emigrants arrived from Nova Scotia, our black 
 auxiliaries in the American War, and under the wise 
 oversight of the new Sierra Leone Company, Freetown 
 was built and a bright day seemed to have dawned. 
 But the French, masked by English uniforms and 
 flying the Union Jack, invaded the town, laying all 
 waste and carrying off the trading vessels of the Com- 
 pany from the harbour as spoils of war. The Governor 
 was Zachary Macaulay, father of the historian, and 
 it was due to his discipline and zeal that order and 
 prosperity were afterwards re-estabhshed. Sierra Leone
 
 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 25 
 
 became a Crown Colony, and from that date the men- 
 of-war cruising in African waters brought hither their 
 captures of slaves. The pitiful state of these poor 
 creatures on landing, after the suffering of a slaver's 
 voyage, may be imagined, and the gross superstition 
 and low moral sense of the negro element of the Colony 
 caused much trouble and uneasiness. Under the 
 direction of the newly-formed African Association, 
 composed of bishops and philanthropists, schools were 
 opened, but it was not until a definite introduction 
 of Christian teaching by faithful missionaries that the 
 true prosperity of Sierra Leone began. What the law 
 could not do however wisely administered, and the 
 spread of education with its refining and humanizing 
 qualities failed to accomplish, the Cross of Christ with 
 its message of dying love was able to achieve. But 
 from a human point of view the victory was dearly 
 won. The bravest and the best came but to die. No 
 sooner had a missionary reached the Colony and 
 started his work than he was stricken with fever, and 
 found a grave in the land he came to bless. The his- 
 tory of the heavy toll of precious lives is pathetic, but 
 it is also inspiring. These early missionaries and their 
 not less heroic wives did not labour long enough to 
 win a name in missionary annals, but they are surely 
 counted among those who have won the deathless 
 crown. They came to the field with hearts beating 
 high with faith and hope ; they spared not themselves 
 when the fever began to consume their powers ; they 
 pleaded with tears of love as they lay stricken with 
 fever ; and when God drew the curtain, sometimes on
 
 26 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 
 
 land and often on the sea, the watchers whispered, 
 " To die like this is gain indeed." 
 
 When they fell others rushed to fill the breach ; in 
 one year out of five missionaries who went out from 
 Salisbury Square four died in six months ; two years 
 later out of seven brave substitutes six died in four 
 months ; during the first twenty years of the work 
 fifty-three missionaries and their wives died at their 
 post, and this mortality is not reckoning the large 
 number of deaths in connection with the Wesleyan 
 and other societies. 
 
 Not only was the climate a fatal hindrance, but 
 other difficulties arose ; the chiefs and headmen of the 
 tribes up country refused to allow the Gospel to be 
 preached ; the Mohammedans were up in arms, and 
 the degradation of the people made the soil very hard 
 ground for sowing the good seed. There was, however, 
 hope in the future of the young natives, and at quite 
 an early stage of the work it was said, " Let us fer- 
 vently pray that these children may become faithful 
 disciples of our great Master, and that some of them 
 may be raised up as instruments to proclaim the glad 
 tidings of salvation throughout their native tribes. It 
 is this way we may expect God will be pleased to work 
 when His time is come for diffusing the Gospel widely 
 through the nations, because it is in this way that He 
 has usually effected His purposes hitherto." 
 
 The story of a remarkable revival among these 
 people is associated with the name and work of the 
 Rev. William A. B. Johnson, whose brief ministry in 
 Sierra Leone is not unhke that of Brainerd among the
 
 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 27 
 
 Red Indians. The life of this devoted missionary is 
 fuU of the deepest interest ; his conversion when a 
 poor workman at a London sugar refinery, and his 
 subsequent call to the foreign work, form the vivid 
 history of a soul's awakening. His early experiences 
 of his field of work were depressing enough ; he made 
 a note in his journal : "If ever I have seen wretched- 
 ness (on arriving at Regent) it has been here to-day ; 
 these poor depraved people are, indeed, the offscouring 
 of Africa. And who knows whether the Lord will not 
 make His converting power known among them ? 
 With Him nothing is impossible." 
 
 With incessant ardour Johnson laboured to this end, 
 daily disappointed, but always, after hours of wrestling 
 prayer, finding every morning radiant with the pro- 
 mise of the revival to come. He felt the preciousness 
 of the flying hours. He notes that in one day in Sierra 
 Leone, in 1816, more persons died than were born in 
 a whole year ; and he thanked God, looking over his 
 little orderly town, so different now, that the prophecy 
 of Isaiah xxxv. i, 2 was Hterally fulfilled. But it is 
 an entry in his journal of 6 September, 1817, which 
 speaks of the shower of blessing having at last fallen. 
 He entered his church. 
 
 The vestry, the gallery stairs, the tower, the windows were 
 all full ; some of the seats in the passages were overweighted 
 and broken down. When I entered the church and saw the 
 multitudes I could hardly refrain myself. After evening ser- 
 vice one of the boys wished to know if it were really true 
 Jesus prayed for them. Many had been in the field to pray 
 and did not know how, I spoke to them, and they went back 
 with joy. It was a moonlight night, and the mountains re- 
 echoed with the singing of hymns, the girls in one part praying
 
 28 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 
 
 and singing by turns. The boys had got upon a huge rock 
 with a hght. One gave out a hymn, and when it was finished 
 another engaged in prayer. 
 
 At morning prayers, though it was raining, with a 
 tornado of wind, as he looked out the streets were 
 crowded with worshipping people, and crossing over 
 to the church he found it quite full again. It was not 
 a condition of excitement merely, and he notes how 
 the usual emotion of the race was suppressed, a 
 solemnity as of the very presence of Jehovah pervaded 
 the crowds. The next day Johnson and his wife 
 listened to the children praying by themselves, and 
 the supplications of one little boy of ten quite broke 
 his heart with joy. He rushed in with streaming eyes, 
 crying with a thankfulness too big for words. Falling 
 on his knees, he could only cry amid sobs of joy : 
 " O my God and Saviour, what hast Thou done ? 
 What shall I render to Thee ? " A few days after 
 Johnson baptized one hundred and ten adults, the 
 result of this marvellous outpouring of grace. 
 
 His missionary zeal urged him to take journeys in- 
 land, and on one occasion he visited the Plaintains, a 
 group of islands where the Rev. John Newton had 
 planted some lime trees when wandering there as a 
 slave trader sixty-five years before. Johnson found 
 one still existing, and also discovered an old book of 
 Newton's hymns, and here, in the language of the 
 natives, he sang the song of triumph under the shade 
 of the tree. 
 
 Any memorial of this remarkable man is worthy of 
 note. Johnson discovered the very spot in which
 
 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 29 
 
 John Newton in his captivity and wretchedness used 
 to beguile his lonely hours with the solitary book in 
 his possession, Barron's EucUd, tracing diagrams with 
 his stick in the sand. It was, indeed, a miracle of 
 mercy which Hfted this miserable outcast, despised by 
 the meanest slave, to become one of the most saintly 
 and successful preachers. 
 
 The breakdown of the health of Johnson's wife and 
 his own increasing weakness made it necessary for him 
 to take a furlough to England. In parting, the people 
 crowded the shore and cried, " Massa, suppose no 
 water live here," pointing to the wide sea, " we go with 
 you all the way till feet no more." When he returned, 
 Johnson exclaimed, " Ah ! who would not be a mis- 
 sionary in Africa ? Had I ten thousand Uves I would 
 willingly offer them all for the sake of one poor negro." 
 He found his work sadly neglected and that many, for 
 want of tender shepherding, had gone back. One of 
 the native converts thus expressed the position : 
 "Suppose somebody beat rice, he fan it and all the 
 chaff fly away and the rice get clean. Now, massa, 
 we be in that fashion since you gone. God fan us that 
 time for true." 
 
 Two years afterwards, in utterly broken health, he 
 again set sail homewards, but it proved to be a voyage 
 to the everlasting shore. His wife had already passed 
 that way to England before him, and his longing was 
 that he might be spared to see her again. Before he 
 left Sierra Leone, where fever was raging, and aU the 
 day the mourners went about the streets, Mr. and Mrs. 
 During, fellow missionaries, brought their only remain-
 
 30 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 
 
 ing child and begged Johnson to take it home with 
 him to save its httle hfe. As nurse to the infant he 
 also took a young negress named Sarah Bickersteth, 
 his first convert, and she told afterwards the touching 
 story of his last hours. He had left Africa but three 
 days when the fever seized him ; sometimes he lay in 
 deep stupor, at others crying aloud in delirium, always 
 with his heart among his poor people. He asked the 
 weeping native girl to read to him the 23rd Psalm, and 
 then told her to pray — " I am going to die, pray for 
 me." The poor black nurse, nursing the little white 
 baby, knelt on the cabin floor and in simple words 
 asked " that the Lord Jesus would take massa the 
 right way." Then he sent a message to David Noah, 
 his native assistant. " Tell him to do his duty — for if 
 he say, ' because massa dead, I can do nothing,' he 
 must pray and God will help him, and so we shall 
 meet in Heaven." He turned his dying eyes upon his 
 solitary watcher, clasped his hands and whispered, 
 " I cannot live. God calls me, and this night I shall 
 be with Him." 
 
 It is quite possible that among the crowd assembled 
 to see this devoted missionary embark for his last 
 journey would be a black youth of about fifteen years, 
 with perhaps his school books and Bible in his hands ; 
 and who can tell but what the departing one may 
 have spoken to him in turn and said, " Crowther, God 
 bless you, my boy. Good-bye " ? He, too, would 
 doubtless mingle with the sorrowing people when the 
 news came of this bereavement. They crowded the 
 church Uke sheep huddled in distress, the shepherd
 
 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 31 
 
 gone, and one of the missionaries begged them to make 
 no noise, knowing the African custom of loudly wailing 
 for the dead. Not a word or sob was heard ; this 
 silence was more impressive than any grand funeral 
 music could have been. After a time an African con- 
 vert rose, his voice thrilling with deep emotion. " My 
 dear brethren, I think God took him away because we 
 looked more to Mr. Johnson than we did to the Lord 
 Jesus. I hope that this trial will make us look more 
 to the Lord Jesus, for He alone can save us. He alone 
 is the Light of the World. Let us go to Him and beg 
 Him to sanctify this trial to us, and then let us show 
 our love to our dear minister by doing what he told us.^^ 
 
 Could any eulogy be more eloquent than these 
 simple heartbroken words ? 
 
 One of the most sacred spots on the West Coast of 
 Africa, a veritable "God's acre," is the old burial ground 
 on the Kissy Road, Sierra Leone. The author of " The 
 Finished Course " takes us from grave to grave. " There 
 lies the veteran missionary worn out by years of toil ; 
 and there the young brother struck down in the prime 
 of youth and the height of his usefulness. There sleeps 
 the young wife who rejoiced that she was ' counted 
 worthy ' to die for the name of the Lord, and there 
 the little children, early blighted by that deadly 
 climate — like the Babes of Bethlehem — ' unconscious 
 martyrs in the cause of the Redeemer.' . . . Volume 
 upon volume might be filled with the record of the 
 lives, work, and death of God's dear servants who laid 
 down their lives for their Saviour in Africa ; and whose 
 bodies there lie ' sown as precious seed in God's
 
 32 A LITTLE SLAVE BOY 
 
 garden ' around the churches they died to found — 
 seed that in the Resurrection morning will doubtless 
 spring up to new and glorious and unfading life. 
 
 Death hath not slain them ; they are freed, not slain ! 
 
 It is the gate of Life, and not of Death, 
 That they have entered ; and the grave in vain 
 
 Has tried to stifle the immortal breath. 
 
 They are not tasting death, but taking rest 
 On the same holy couch where Jesus lay ; 
 
 Soon to awake, all glorified and blest, 
 
 When day has broke and shadows fled away."
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 
 
 A VISIT to London for the first time is an event 
 ■ in the Ufetime of an EngHsh boy, but infinitely 
 greater must have been the excited anticipation of 
 young Crowther when his friends and guardians, Mr. 
 and Mrs. Davey, told him that they were taking him 
 with them on a short visit home to the white man's 
 land. One can easily imagine the boy's delight at the 
 prospect, for already he had by the key of knowledge 
 opened some of the doors of English history in his 
 reading books, and he had his day-dreams of that 
 wonderful country from which the ships had come, 
 where all the people had white faces, lived in houses 
 of brick and stone, and were able to move quickly to 
 and fro by steam. It is strange that in his diaries 
 there should be no extended record of his impressions 
 of this interesting visit in 1826 ; all he notes is by 
 way of retrospect : "I had the privilege of visiting 
 your happy and favoured land in the year 1826, in 
 which it was my desire to remain for a good while to 
 be qualified for a teacher to my fellow-creatures." 
 But from other memoranda we find that he landed at 
 Portsmouth on 16 August, and that during his stay 
 of about eight months he attended the Parochial School 
 D 33
 
 34 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 
 
 in Liverpool Road, Islington, a building still standing, 
 just behind the burial ground of the Chapel of Ease. 
 He would probably be staying at the house of the Rev. 
 E. Bickersteth ; and it is stated that for a short visit 
 he was taken to the country home of the same clergy- 
 man and mingled with the family circle of boys and 
 girls as one of themselves. What a wonderland all 
 this would be to him ! 
 
 On his return to Sierra Leone he was appointed as 
 schoolmaster by the Colonial Government in one of 
 the villages at a salary of £i per month, not a very 
 munificent remuneration, but grateful enough to him, 
 the first money of any consequence that he had earned 
 since in the old home at Oshogun he made a profit of 
 a handful of cowries by the sale of his chickens. He 
 notes in his diary about this time that he had never 
 since met a dozen of his people from that devastated 
 town, and had not cast eyes on his father, mother, or 
 any of his relations. When the question was mooted 
 of sending a likely native youth to England for train- 
 ing, Mr. Davey, who had just returned with him, 
 wrote : 
 
 The only lad I could at present recommend as fit to be 
 sent to England is Samuel Crowther. He would, I have reason 
 to believe, prove a very useful instrument for carrying on the 
 work in Western Africa. He has abilities far surpassing any 
 I have met with before, and added to this he appears to be 
 truly pious. Our only fear respecting him might be that he 
 should be lifted up too much by a second voyage to England. 
 He has improved very much under the assiduous care of 
 Brother Haensel, and gave great satisfaction in the examina- 
 tion the other day. 
 
 This letter, dated Christmas Day, 1827, makes a
 
 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 35 
 
 reference to new developments of much importance, 
 for it was a day to be remembered when Crowther 
 entered the doors of the African Listitution, after- 
 wards known as Fourah Bay College. The history of 
 this place also marks a point in the story of the Colony 
 and missionary work. Its establishment was the 
 result of that appalling death-rate which hitherto had 
 decimated the ranks of European missionaries sent 
 to the West Coast of Africa. The committee of the 
 Church Missionary Society felt that if Africa was to 
 be evangehzed it must be through native agency ; for 
 her own sons would not be stricken down by fever as 
 the white men were, and it was therefore imperative 
 that such should be trained, intellectually and spiritu- 
 ally, for this high vocation. It was in the nature of an 
 experiment, and there were those who then almost 
 distrusted the capacity of an African to discharge the 
 functions of a responsible ministry. At this juncture 
 the Society was particularly fortunate in sending out 
 the Rev. Charles Haensel to start the Institution. He 
 was a young Lutheran missionary, of German birth, 
 from the Basle Seminary, and proved to be the 
 man for the post. The site selected for the future 
 Alma Mater of the negro student was an old disused 
 slave house, an undesigned coincidence as a starting 
 point of spiritual freedom, with extensive grounds 
 overlooking Fourah Bay. It was far enough away 
 from the surrounding villages to ensure the privacy 
 and quiet of the students. The building, as adapted 
 to its new occupation, was of the plainest character, 
 really an ordinary dwelling-house, where the young
 
 36 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 
 
 fellows were boarded and lodged on the ground floor, 
 the principal and his wife occupying the floor above, 
 and the verandah doing duty for classroom and 
 lecture hall. It was a simple and unostentatious be- 
 ginning. Mr. Haensel felt the responsibility of organ- 
 izing such a work, which would lay down a new 
 principle in missionary enterprise, for the committee 
 told him on leaving for his sphere of work that they 
 had " come to a fixed determination of prosecuting by 
 all means in their power and in any place, whether in 
 Europe or Africa, which may ultimately prove most 
 eligible, the education of intelligent and pious natives 
 with a view of their becoming Christian teachers 
 among their countrymen." It may not be out of 
 place to record, in parenthesis, the subsequent de- 
 velopment of this germ of native higher culture. 
 
 In 1840, with twenty-five students, a new building 
 was erected of laterite stone on a proper plan, with 
 library, lecture room, college chapel, and dormitory. 
 The architect, with a touch of unconscious humour, 
 fitted up every room with an English fireplace, a need- 
 less provision for a climate generally 90° in the shade ! 
 The college was in 1876 affiliated with the University 
 of Durham, so that its students could qualify for 
 English degrees without leaving Africa. That this 
 privilege has been justified is seen by the fact that 
 since then from the latest calendar fourteen hold the 
 licence in theology, twenty had degrees of B.A., twenty 
 held both L.Th. and B.A., five have taken M.A., and 
 two B.C.L. To two others Durham has granted the 
 honorary M.A., and two more the honorary D.D., and
 
 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 37 
 
 the principals and tutors have also borne University 
 honours. These facts will be a sufficient answer to 
 those critics who, even in Crowther's early days as we 
 have seen, shew a disinchnation to credit the African 
 brain with much intellectual capacity. As a matter of 
 fact, given the same advantages, the negro proves 
 himself second to none in the acquisition of know- 
 ledge. In addition to these academic details one is 
 tempted to add that they have a capital cricket team 
 (they play on matting), football and hockey clubs, and 
 a debating society and missionary parliament, where 
 they discuss up-to-date problems on House of Commons 
 methods with, it is hoped, an equally profitable result. 
 The spiritual standard of the college is kept in view ; 
 they are trained to be manly Christians, and are ever 
 ready to engage in evangelistic work. They are good 
 linguists and soon pick up other dialects, so that, with- 
 out any official compulsion, the Gospel is preached for 
 six months of the year every Sunday in four languages, 
 other than English, by students of Fourah Bay. One 
 word more as to the destination of the fine young 
 fellows. Many work as missionaries in the interior 
 until God has evidently set His seal on their labours, 
 when they are ordained for service at the front or the 
 pastorate of the three native churches in Sierra Leone, 
 Lagos, and the Niger Delta, besides which they do 
 duty at the grammar schools, others becoming doctors 
 and barristers-at-law on the West Coast. Some enter 
 the Civil Service, of which two are now heads of depart- 
 ments ; two more are appointed by His Majesty to seats 
 on the Legislative Council of the Colony, one has been
 
 38 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 
 
 three times mayor of Freetown, eight have been canons 
 of the cathedral, one of whom, the late Henry John- 
 son, was a Hebrew, Greek, and Arabic scholar, and 
 Honorary M. A. Cambridge ; two others Archdeacons of 
 Sierra Leone, and four to the Episcopate. Of these 
 last mentioned, the most distinguished, of course, is 
 Crowther. This record generally is strong evidence 
 of the progressive possibilities of the African mind and 
 character. 
 
 Returning again to those early days, we find 
 Crowther was the first student to enter the doors of 
 Fourah Bay College. He made some sacrifice of pre- 
 sent interest to do this, for he had, although still a 
 youth, obtained an independent position as a school- 
 master, and he would, by taking this step, leave 
 teaching to become a scholar again. From some old 
 letters of Mr. Haensel, the principal, we get a few 
 curious little details of the daily round and the rather 
 common but salutary tasks of those youthful students, 
 with occasionally a glimpse of Crowther himself, well 
 worth rescuing from oblivion. Mr. Haensel is evidently 
 exercised in his mind lest his students part through 
 high-mindedness . 
 
 [ |It has been my endeavour (he writes) to prevent any- 
 sudden rise in the outward condition of the youths. Coming 
 out of Government schools, or out of menial employ, they have 
 mostly brought scanty clothing with them — a couple of shirts, 
 a pair of trousers, a hat and perhaps a jacket, with a book of 
 Common Prayer, and in some instances a Bible, constitute 
 their entire possessions. I have, in the first place, where 
 necessary, added a Bible to their stock, a pair of trousers, and 
 a shirt after a little while, a jacket, if necessary, after a month 
 or two, and another pair of trousers some time after that.
 
 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 39 
 
 This for their full dress on Sunday and other particular occa- 
 sions ; at home they always go barefooted. Even Samuel 
 Crowther does so at home, though his visit to England has 
 raised him to the height of white stockings, a suit of blue 
 cloth, a waistcoat, and a beaver hat on Sundays ! 
 
 Their food consists of rice and yams (a sort of potato), 
 plain boiled, with some meat or fish occasionally and palm 
 oil, which they eat out of tin pans. The youths are their own 
 servants ; they sweep and scrub the schoolroom and sleeping 
 room, clean the table, and wash their clothes. I send occa- 
 sionally one or other on errands, just to remind them that 
 they are not above carrying a basketful of rice or anything 
 else on their heads. From Samuel Crowther I require only 
 the inspection of these services. I have, however, pointed out 
 to him the necessity of example accompanying precept in this 
 as in all other branches of our work, and he follows my sugges- 
 tions. When Samuel Crowther first entered the Institution 
 he brought with him a mattress with which he had been pre- 
 sented when in England, but as this was too great a luxury 
 I at once forbade its entrance, to which he readily consented. 
 I wish for the good of his own soul to see him in that state of 
 lowliness of mind which Africans so easily lose by visits to 
 England. 
 
 This picture of the future Bishop appearing at the 
 college portals with a mattress on his shoulders is a 
 touch of nature worth preservation. What grace he 
 must have had to take his treasure back again and 
 leave it behind ! Now we will have the opinion of the 
 pupil upon the principal, written by Crowther after a 
 lapse of forty years, 
 
 Mr. Haensel was a peculiar person altogether ; we could 
 never find one to match him. He was so venerated by all the 
 merchants, they would all tremble at his presence if they did 
 not act straightforwardly or honestly. He would tell you in 
 language which was not offensive, but which you could never 
 forget, and next time you saw him you would tremble to act 
 in the same way, either by speaking inadvertently or by acting 
 contrary to Christian principles. He was a man of very 
 penetrating qualifications.
 
 40 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 
 
 Between the lines of this neatly - worded recollec- 
 tion, peering through the bars of memory's lattice, we 
 discern the dour countenance of this faithful dominie, 
 " a peculiar person altogether," with a Teutonic ten- 
 dency for discipline, sternly but sincerely striving to 
 make something out of this native material for the 
 glory of God. A deeply sensitive man, too, under that 
 strong exterior, carrying his crosses without a murmur, 
 for all his boys did not turn out so well as Crowther. 
 He was overburdened also with many secular duties 
 as secretary, responsible for other schools. There is 
 something very pathetic in this paragraph from an old 
 letter, laying bare his heart, overtaxed and self- 
 condemned in its anxious concern for his black boys : 
 
 The regularity (he writes) of proceedings in the Institution 
 has been a good deal interrupted during the quarter by those 
 duties of an official character which have so frequently called 
 me from home and have at home also confined me to the 
 secretary's table, more than the schoolroom could well spare 
 me. Formerly I had some time to enter into my children's 
 little concerns. I could help them to bind a little book, to 
 paint a lion, and to sew on a button ; of late I have been 
 generally in too great a hurry to attend to them as I desire. 
 To my great regret I now miss that affection which I think 
 I formerly possessed, and as my mind becomes distressed on 
 that account I feel more keenly the absence of spiritual fruit. 
 Perhaps this is sent by the Lord in judgment because I was 
 too easily contented when I had the affection of the youths, 
 and was not zealous enough that their hearts should be given 
 to Him. I do not say that they make no progress in learning, 
 even in Scriptural knowledge. I believe they advance to a 
 certain degree, but in spiritual attainment there does not 
 seem to be any growth ; and how insecure is the foundation 
 of all my work so long as this blessing is withheld ! 
 
 Faithful servant of God, a truce to these misgivings ; 
 thou didst thy part valiantly and well !
 
 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 41 
 
 It is worthy of note that in a letter written a few 
 months after Crowther came into the Institution, Mr. 
 Haensel speaks well of his pupil and clearly discerns 
 special ability in him. 
 
 " He is a very clever lad," he writes, " and it is a 
 real pleasure to instruct him. He advances steadily 
 in knowledge." Later on he writes : " He is a lad of 
 uncommon ability, steady conduct, a thirst for know- 
 ledge, and indefatigable industry." 
 
 But the youth was already on the threshold of man- 
 hood, and it is not surprising that on these Sunday 
 walks, arrayed in the blue suit and beaver hat, this 
 good-looking young African of promise should find a 
 life companion. It has been already hinted that soon 
 after he landed there was also a little girl named Asano, 
 who learnt her letters at his side. She, too, was a 
 rescued slave, having been captured by His Majesty's 
 ship Bann, Captain Charles Phillips, on 31 October, 
 1822, and was landed at Sierra Leone in the same year 
 as Crowther. She in her turn had grown up, and so 
 far made her mark that at this time she was acting as 
 schoolmistress, and had changed her name at baptism 
 to Susan Thompson. His old and candid friend, Mr. 
 Haensel, drew attention to the existence of this young 
 lady at the very time when Crowther was first entered 
 as a student, showing that this attachment was no 
 hasty one. The principal, in sober terms, is reporting 
 to his committee in March, 1827 : 
 
 You will see by the minutes that Samuel Crowther is to 
 be admitted into the Institution as a probationer for the 
 present. This is owing to the information which is received
 
 42 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 
 
 of an attachment entertained by him towards a girl who is 
 schoolmistress at Bathurst. He says he will not let it inter- 
 fere with his education, and I am ready to trust in his sincerity, 
 but it is to be doubted whether he knows himself sufficiently ; 
 and it will be easier to let him withdraw during his period of 
 probation if he should feel it too hard to be separated from 
 her than after his full reception as a student. 
 
 Crowther had by this time been appointed assistant 
 master at Regent at a salary of £24 a year ; and now 
 comes this very interesting and significant minute 
 passed at a meeting of the Missionaries in Council : 
 
 An application from Samuel Crowther, schoolmaster of 
 Regent, for leave to enter into holy matrimony with Susan 
 Thompson, of Bathurst, having been submitted and a satis- 
 factory account being received of the girl's suitableness for a 
 fellow-worker with him, it was resolved that this meeting 
 consent to the marriage of Samuel Crowther with Susan 
 Thompson taking place. 
 
 No time seems to have been lost by the happy 
 couple, for they appear to have been wedded on the 
 same date as this minute was passed ! Thus began a 
 united happiness which, in the providence of God, 
 extended over half a century until his wife's death at 
 Lagos in 1881, leaving three sons, one being the 
 Venerable Archdeacon Dandeson Coates Crowther ; 
 two were laymen, and the three daughters all married 
 African clergymen. This good wife and mother was 
 spared to see her children's children to the third 
 generation, to whom the promises of blessing are 
 assured. 
 
 In this first 3'ear of his married life Crowther was 
 associated with his old friend Mr. Weeks, who men- 
 tions him in a letter thus : "I have now a good assis-
 
 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 43 
 
 tant in Samuel Crowther ; he promises fair to be very 
 useful ; the Lord give him grace and keep him humble." 
 
 But in 1834 we find him going back to Fourah Bay 
 College, this time as a regularly appointed tutor, work- 
 ing hard at his Greek and Latin during his leisure 
 hours and doing good service as a parish assistant 
 under the Rev. G. A. Kissling (afterwards Archdeacon 
 in New Zealand), who had succeeded the Rev. C. L. F. 
 Haensel as principal. He also did useful work in con- 
 junction with two other native students who were 
 under instruction by him, named George Nicol and 
 Thomas Maxwell, who both afterwards became Govern- 
 ment chaplains, and the former the husband of one 
 of Crowther's daughters. A Sunday-school, especially 
 in the care of Crowther, was held in an old building 
 called Gibraltar Chapel, afterwards destroyed by fire. 
 
 Fortunately he put in writing some of his impres- 
 sions at this time, and shall now speak for himself. 
 He is writing a letter to England : 
 
 As I doubt not it will be acceptable to you to know a little 
 how part of my time is employed, I hope it will not be looked 
 upon as ostentation. When I briefly mention the effect of 
 Mr. Kissling's advice on my study, I thankfully accept the 
 offer of improvement held out to me by my being stationed 
 here. At my coming to the Institution the second time I look 
 on myself as a student rather on the one hand, while I en- 
 deavour to assist the pupils on the other, and I may humbly 
 say through the ministry and private assistance of the Rev. 
 G. A. Kissling I am greatly improved in many respects. My 
 views of many things, which were dark, are set in a much 
 clearer light, and when any difficulty arises in my course of 
 study I always endeavour to avail myself of the opportunity 
 of a living teacher, for which I sometimes prove troublesome 
 to him. My studies, which before were loose and unconnected, 
 have been more stated and regular. When plans of a regular
 
 44 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 
 
 study and its consequent eflfects have been pointed out to me, 
 I immediately endeavoured to follow the experimental direc- 
 tion. I chose Doddridge's "Family Expositor," with which 
 the paternal desire of the Rev. C. L. F. Haensel, for my im- 
 provement, has furnished me, and which was pointed out to 
 me by Mr. Kissling as indeed a worthy book. I commenced 
 reading it regularly at six o'clock for one hour, in the school- 
 room, before our morning devotion. Though it was with some 
 difficulty before I could bridle myself down to this plan, yet 
 in a few weeks, when I began to see the thread of the Four 
 Gospels harmonized, at the same time comparing it with what 
 was expounded at our morning devotion by Mr. KissUng, I 
 soon began to perceive the privilege of a regular and stated 
 course of study and the beauty of the history of our Lord and 
 Saviour. When I had gone through that book I was very 
 much dehghted with it, and being so poorly and scantily 
 supplied with its rich and excellent contents, especially the 
 epistolary part, I hesitated not to give it a second regular 
 perusal, which I am now doing as far as the Revelation, with 
 clearer views and greater delight than formerly. Thus I began 
 to experience what is quoted of Bishop Home in the "Com- 
 panion to the Bible," when he said, with respect to the Psalms, 
 " These unfading plants of Paradise become, as we are more 
 and more accustomed to them, still more and more beautiful ; 
 their blooms appear to be daily heightened ; fresh odours are 
 emitted, and new sweets are extracted from them ; who hath 
 once tasted their excellencies will desire to taste them yet 
 again, and he who tastes them often will reUsh them best." 
 I hope I may pursue the study of the Holy Bible without much 
 mixture of weakness and weariness, which I often experience 
 in so doing. May the Lord pardon my infirmities, rovings, 
 and instabihties in the use of His Holy Word ! That the time 
 may come when the heathen shall be fully given to Christ for 
 His inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for His 
 possession. 
 
 About this time Crowther wrote another letter dated 
 
 from Kissy 3 July, 1840, in which he gives a ghmpse 
 
 of his own cHmbing of the ladder of learning : 
 
 I have begun (he writes) to study the Greek language. I 
 learned some time ago, through the aid of Mr. Schlenker, the 
 declension of nouns and adjectives and the conjugation of
 
 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 45 
 
 verbs ; the only books I have are Parkhurst's " Greek Lexicon " 
 and a Greek Testament. I hope, by God's blessing, that I 
 shall soon be able to understand the Word of God in that 
 language, in which it was first written by the evangelists and 
 apostles. 
 
 But Crowther found that the education of these 
 natives and their Christian teaching was no easy task, 
 although he felt it such a labour of love. The peculiar 
 temperament of the negro race, their impulsive 
 emotionalism, the groundwork of superstition and 
 ignorance which had to be drastically dealt with, that 
 natural lightheartedness which led them to almost 
 childish vanity and frivolity — all these, recognized by 
 Crowther so readily, being of one blood with themselves, 
 were real difficulties to be overcome and reckoned with 
 in his work. And yet the wonderful change which had 
 come over Sierra Leone since the Gospel had been 
 preached there gave great hope of future progress. 
 As was his wont, he quietly set down his thoughts 
 upon this matter at the time, and the following 
 quotation from an old letter expresses his hopefulness : 
 
 That state of our people (he writes) some years ago, com- 
 pared with what is at present, affords a delightful scene. 
 Our country is greatly improved and benefited by the labours 
 of the servants of the Church Missionary Society. The private 
 feeling of individuals with whom we are conversant, as well 
 as the great stir which is seen amongst the liberated Africans 
 at present, who seemed to be awakened from their foolishness 
 and superstition to serve God, greatly shows that they are 
 becoming another people. Twelve years ago, hundreds of 
 men and women, who now fill our Sunday-schools, and many 
 of whom we see through that privilege are now able to read 
 for themselves the wonderful works of God, thought they were 
 too old to learn ; they used to say that book-learning was for 
 white people, and was rather boyish employment. There
 
 46 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 
 
 were some few, indeed, who used to attend the evening school 
 which was then kept, from motives of desiring to improve ; 
 but a greater part of them used to attend merely to please 
 their' missionary, who was also their manager. For often 
 when school was opened with a hundred or more scholars, it 
 was not often closed with many above fifty ; for many of 
 them, under pretence of going out, slipped away to their 
 homes. Some there were who openly expressed their dis- 
 pleasure at school by an artifice most ridiculous in its nature. 
 These were the inhabitants of WelUngton. Upon agreement 
 they soon assembled at the call of the bell, but before school 
 was opened they all, with one accord, simultaneously rushed 
 out of the grass chapel, through the doors and windows, in 
 the utmost confusion possible. To crown the whole, they 
 shouted in their country language, as soon as they got out, 
 with an expression of their victory over the schoolmaster. 
 But, blessed be our God ! these are the very people who have 
 wiUingly contributed and built a chapel which is by far too 
 small for the attendants on pubUc worship on Sunday morn- 
 ings and for the Sunday scholars. 
 
 There were some others who gave a greater part of their 
 time to drumming and dancing. At that time this was a 
 favourite amusement, with which they would not part, at 
 any rate. I well remember the time when the Rev. J. W. 
 Weeks spoke to one of the head dancers, a man of under- 
 standing, on the folly of so doing, especially as he could read 
 his Bible, but instead of being thankful for this kind admoni- 
 tion he looked at Mr. Weeks as an intruder on their peace. 
 He immediately appUed to the manager for permission to 
 play, and that being granted he retired with his company, 
 with singing, clappings of hands, dancing and performing 
 somersets [sic], in spite of their kind admonition. Though 
 the working of the Gospel leaven be slow, yet wherever it 
 touches it will prove effectual in converting the lump to its 
 nature. This very individual, after many years, was brought 
 to see the real state of his danger. He was under Mr. Weeks' 
 instruction as a candidate at Bathurst for some time, and was 
 one of the five baptized by the Rev. J. F. Schon. How many 
 instances of former follies, ignorance, and superstition may 
 be mentioned when the individuals have been brought to see 
 their real state and condition and have become followers of 
 the Lamb ! Was not the former conduct of these individuals 
 cause of great discouragement to the missionaries ? When
 
 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 47 
 
 such reports as these were made, did it not seem as if all that 
 was doing for Africa was to no purpose ? But Christian per- 
 severance will have its frvxit at last, success will crown their 
 labours, and with joy they will bear the sheaves of the seeds 
 which they had sown in tears. 
 
 Throughout his long and eventful life Crowther 
 never failed in his grateful appreciation of all that 
 the Church Missionary Society had been to him, 
 especially its tender and generous care of him during 
 these early days of his career, when his mind and heart 
 were receiving impressions from the missionaries and 
 schoolmasters which so much influenced him for good. 
 
 A special interest therefore attaches to his first 
 letter to the secretaries at Salisbury Square. This 
 has happily been preserved, and is a rare and self- 
 revealing document which must find a place here. It 
 is written from the Christian Institution, Fourah Bay, 
 and bears date 19 January, 1829. 
 
 Rev. and Dear Gentlemen, — Your most humble and obliged 
 servant addresses these few lines to you and hopes that all 
 what he says is directed by his God, in whose vineyard he 
 desires to labour and be useful. I thank you for all the 
 privileges which I have had, by and through you, in learning 
 those good things which are very useful and pleasant in this 
 life, and most of all in learning to know that one needful 
 which none can take away from me. 
 
 When I was brought to England by my honoured master, 
 Mr. Davey, my chief desire was to learn something which may 
 be good for me and my fellow-creatures. When I was to be 
 sent back home again, I begged very hard, not for anything 
 else, but that I might remain there and learn something, that 
 when I came back to Africa I might be a little help to the 
 Mission. But when I found that it was not God's will that I 
 should stop there any longer, I cast myself upon Him, because 
 He knows best. He has not forgotten, He has sent a faithful 
 servant of His to impart to me those good things which I was 
 in need of, and not to me only, but to those to whom He sees 
 fit to be employed in His vineyard. 
 
 I am very glad to say I am now engaged as the assistant 
 to my faithful master Mr. Haensel, in the Christian Institu-
 
 48 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 
 
 tion, yet this is not my chief desire, for I am desiring to be 
 instructed by God's Holy Spirit that I may soon rise up and 
 become a teacher to the others. I have hope that Africa will 
 soon stretch forth her hands unto God, and that joy and 
 gladness shall be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of 
 melody. I hope I am not forward in saying I can and do 
 bear all things if Jesus strengthens me. My earnest prayer is 
 that my four brethren, who are yet with you, may have the 
 same desire and pray vnth me and those that are here in the 
 Spirit, that in future we may join in Africa as Christ's faithful 
 soldiers, who come forth to fight for the souls of their fellow- 
 creatures under the great Captain of our soul's salvation. 
 Pray ye for Africa, that many natives may come forth and 
 give themselves unto Jesus, to employ them in what He wants 
 them to do. 
 
 My kind respects to all who care for the Africans. And I 
 would comfort them that they need not be in despair that 
 Africa shall not return. Though how few we natives may be 
 that profess to be teachers, we shall try, perhaps God will 
 hear our prayers and help us. Ehjah was the only prophet 
 that remained, as it is said in the ist Book of Kings, chapter 
 xviii. V. 22, in the days of Ahab ; and the prophets of Baal 
 were four hundred and fifty, yet God answered him, though 
 he was the only one that remained, and his Ufe was sought 
 to be taken away. 
 
 Pray for Africa is the prayer of your most humble, thankful, 
 and obliged servant, Samuel Crowther. 
 
 In the year 1841 a new sphere of usefuhiess opened 
 to him unexpectedly ; indeed, the step he took had a 
 great influence in shaping his future course of Hfe. 
 It brought him out of the narrow Umits of his work 
 as a schoolmaster, and this incident gave him an 
 opportunity of testing and developing those quaUties 
 of practical wisdom which distinguished him. He was 
 still a young man, with any amount of brimming 
 energy and not a little laudable ambition ; he prob- 
 ably recognized that God had caUed him to a wider 
 and more important field, and it was for him to watch
 
 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 49 
 
 every way which led upward and onward, to what 
 goal he knew not. But it will be seen that the humble 
 spirit so much desired by his old tutor was not wanting 
 as he sought how best to be a means of grace to his 
 native land and people. Africa was written on his 
 heart. There never was a truer patriot than Crowther, 
 and as such he looked hopefully for the day when her 
 great waterways might become, not only crowded with 
 commercial vessels, but the highways of salvation, 
 along which the message of peace and goodwill should 
 travel into the interior. His letters show that his 
 reading and his own personal conviction alike con- 
 vinced him that if Africa is to be won for Christ it 
 must be by the service of her own sons. An unlooked- 
 for honour now came to him through the Church 
 Missionary Society, 
 
 Ever since the abolition of the slave trade the West 
 Coast of Africa had retained a special interest in the 
 eyes of the British nation. What might be called the 
 Experimental Colony of freed slaves at Sierra Leone, 
 with its trials and disappointments, had nevertheless 
 demonstrated the capacity of the African race under 
 proper training and supervision to be a dependable 
 factor in missionary work. The spread of Christianity 
 and its striking effect in bringing order out of chaos, 
 and flourishing towns where revolution and crime had 
 been rampant heretofore, had its due effect upon the 
 faith and confident hope of the Christians at home, 
 and the minor chord of sorrow and bereavement had 
 made the work still more precious. 
 
 And the British Government were also not behind
 
 50 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 
 
 in reading the signs of the times. Probably that 
 important work by Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, entitled 
 " The Slave Trade and its Remedy," had pointed out 
 to politicians that the extinction of the accursed trade 
 should open a door for commerce and the develop- 
 ment of a new world. It was therefore decided to fit 
 out an expedition of discovery to ascend the Niger 
 and obtain valuable information for the use of the 
 Government. Lord John Russell, then acting as 
 Colonial Secretary, addressed a letter to the Lords of 
 the Treasury on 26 December, 1839, i^^ which he ex- 
 plained the objects of the proposed expedition : 
 
 The Queen has directed her ministers to negotiate conven- 
 tions and agreements with those chiefs and powers, the basis 
 of which conventions would be, first, the abandonment and 
 absolute prohibition of the slave trade ; and, secondly, the 
 admission, for consumption in this country, on favourable 
 terms, of goods, the produce and manufacture of the terri- 
 tories subject to them — of those chiefs the most considerable 
 over the countries adjacent to the Niger and its great tribu- 
 tary streams. It is therefore proposed to dispatch an expe- 
 dition, which would ascend that river by steamboats as far 
 as the points at which it receives the confluence of some of 
 the principal rivers falling into it from the eastward. At these, 
 or at any other stations which may be found more favourable 
 for the promotion of a legitimate commerce, it is proposed to 
 establish British factories, in the hope that the natives may 
 be taught that there are methods of employing the population 
 more profitable to those to whom they are subject than that 
 of converting them into slaves and selling them for exportation 
 to the slave traders. 
 
 Such an expedition could not fail to attract the 
 attention and sympathy of the Church Missionary 
 Society, who obtained permission for two of its repre- 
 sentatives to accompany the ships, so as to obtain
 
 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 51 
 
 information with a view to establishing a Christian 
 mission among the natives of the Niger district. 
 
 The committee wisely selected for this duty the 
 Rev. J. F. Schon, a very able missionary, who during 
 his ten years at Sierra Leone had acquired a special 
 knowledge of native languages ; and as his companion 
 they chose the young catechist, Mr. Samuel Crowther, 
 of Fourah Bay College. This would be deeply interest- 
 ing news to both, but one can imagine the palpitations 
 of delight with which the younger man would hasten 
 home to tell his wife what had happened that day. 
 With that sincere and ever-present humility of his 
 nature, Crowther felt keenly his unworthiness of such 
 a distinction, and doubtless he prayed without ceasing 
 that it might prove a real service to his beloved Africa. 
 
 This event also brought him into intimate touch 
 with Mr. Schon, the commencement of a life-long 
 friendship. It was a little disappointing to both that 
 they could not travel on the same ship together, 
 Mr. Schon being appointed to the Wilberforce and 
 Crowther to the Soudan. In saying good-bye to wife 
 and children, they little thought how disastrous would 
 be the issue of their journeyings and how many valu- 
 able lives would be sacrificed. 
 
 The journals of Mr. Schon are very graphic, and his 
 experienced eye evidently took in the situation and 
 saw the difficulties and possibilities alike of future 
 work, as they pushed slowly up the river. His pro- 
 ficiency as a linguist also enabled him to take notes of 
 the languages of the people, of which afterwards he 
 made good use. The story of his^sufferings, as one by
 
 52 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 
 
 one the fever laid them low, until scarcely any Euro- 
 peans save himself survived to manage the vessel, is 
 a recital sad enough. 
 
 But our immediate interest is with Crowther, who 
 also dihgently kept a journal, full of word pictures of 
 a vivid and personal nature. It was his first experience 
 of the world beyond and behind the coast ; and it was 
 working, all unconsciously to him, in preparing him 
 for the government of a huge diocese in the days to 
 come. The tears of separation from Mrs. Crowther 
 and his family are still upon his cheeks as he takes up 
 his pen to make the first entry in his diary on board : 
 
 To-day about eleven o'clock the Soudan got under way for 
 the Niger, the highway into the heart of Africa. She was soon 
 followed by the Wilberforce, which took her in tow in order to 
 save fuel. When I looked back on the colony in which I had 
 spent nineteen years — the happiest part of my life, because 
 there I was brought acquainted with the saving knowledge of 
 Jesus Christ, leaving my wife, who was near her confinement, 
 and four children behind — I could not but feel pain and some 
 anxiety for a time at the separation. May the Lord, who has 
 been my guide from my youth up till now, keep them and me, 
 and make me neither barren nor unfruitful in His service ! 
 
 He begins to work on his vocabulary of African 
 languages, but gives it up, as sea-sickness has made 
 him feel so ill ; but we find him down in the steerage, 
 joining in a Bible-class. He soon meets with a little 
 misadventure which might have been serious : 
 
 July ID. While we were at dinner to-day the glass called 
 " the bull's eye " fell from its fastening on my head and then 
 on two plates in which I was taking my dinner, and dashed 
 them to pieces. Providentially this heavy glass, weighing 
 about five pounds, did not fall perpendicularly on me. At 
 night also my hammock, in consequence of its not being 
 properly fastened, gave way at the foot, when I fell and got
 
 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 53 
 
 a slight stroke on the head. Had the lash given way from 
 the head of the hammock I should have suffered seriously. I 
 mention these trifling circumstances, as without God's watch- 
 ful care over us how soon may we, by such small accidents, 
 be humbled to the dust. 
 
 Arriving off Cape Coast Castle they went ashore, 
 and here he was fortunate enough to meet with that 
 able Wesley an missionary the Rev. T. B. Freeman, 
 who received him with marked kindness, took him 
 into his Hbrary, telHng him that he might use what 
 books he liked. A great treat to Crowther ! 
 
 Wandering among the monuments in the graveyard 
 of the Castle, he made a note of the tablet erected to 
 the Rev. Philip Quaque, a native who was sent to 
 England by the Society for the Propagation of the 
 Gospel in 1754, baptized at St. Mary's, Islington, 
 7 January, 1759, and returned fully ordained as chap- 
 lain to the factory, and died, after many trials and 
 disappointments, in 1816. This tablet was naturally 
 of enthralling interest to Crowther. When the expe- 
 dition was over he referred to the incident in a letter, 
 in which he says : 
 
 Who the individual was I know not, neither have I ever 
 heard anything of him, except from this monument. What 
 attracted my attention was that he was a native of that place 
 — sent to England for education, received Holy Orders, and 
 was employed in his own country upwards of fifty years ! 
 
 A few days afterwards they were on board again, 
 crossing soon the dangerous bar of the mouth of the 
 Niger, and found the other two vessels waiting their 
 arrival. We take up his journal and read : 
 
 Aug. 15. Lord's Day. This day we had the pleasure of 
 commemorating the death of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
 
 54 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 
 
 Christ by receiving the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, 
 administered by the Rev. J. Miiller, the chaplain of the expe- 
 dition. Seven of&cers, three coloured men, and the captain 
 himself, eleven in number, surrounded the Table of the Lord, 
 in deep humility, contrition for sin, and earnest desire for 
 amendment of life. He that humhleth himself shall be exalted. 
 We always esteemed our captain and his ofi&cers as honour- 
 able, but we did much more so when we saw them humbling 
 themselves before the Lord. May this refreshing feast 
 strengthen us to serve the Lord our God more actively than 
 we have done before ! 
 
 They soon got under way again, and steaming up 
 the Niger discovered that they were surrounded on 
 all sides by thick mangrove trees. He tells us signifi- 
 cantly that while everybody seemed pleased that the 
 navigation of the river had actually begun, some could 
 not help also remarking that they believed they were 
 going to their graves. Here is a view of the Niger as 
 Crowther saw it for the first time : 
 
 Aug. 21. We were gradually introduced from the man- 
 groves into a forest of palm and bamboo trees, embellished 
 with large cotton trees of curious shapes, interspersed among 
 them on both sides of the river, and with other lofty trees of 
 beautiful foliage. All hands were invited on deck by this new 
 scenery, and the day was spent with great interest at this 
 novel appearance. We passed on both sides of the river 
 several plantations of bananas, plaintains, sugar cane, cocoa, 
 or Kalahe, as called by the Americans, and now and then 
 some huts with natives in them. The natives were so timid 
 that they several times pulled their canoes ashore and ran 
 away into the bush and peeped at the steamer with fear and 
 great astonishment. We got opposite a village containing 
 about seven or eight huts, where the inhabitants, in very great 
 earnest, armed themselves with sticks and country billhooks 
 and ran along the bank to a neighbouring village, to apprise 
 the villagers of the dreadful approach of our wonderful float- 
 ing and self-moving habitation. These villagers also followed 
 the example of their informers. Having armed themselves in
 
 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 55 
 
 like manner, they betook themselves to the next village to 
 bring them the same tidings. When they were encouraged to 
 come on board, it was difficult to find persons brave enough 
 to do so. Those who ventured to come near took care not to 
 go further from shore than the distance of a leap from their 
 canoe, in case there should be cause for it. The captain, per- 
 ceiving some of them inclined to come off, stopped the engine 
 and persuaded them to come near us. In the meantime we 
 had come opposite to a large village, into which all the former 
 villagers had collected themselves. 
 
 There was a little boy who acted as their interpreter be- 
 cause he understood two English words, " Yes " and " Tabac," 
 which he had picked up at some place. They constantly told 
 him something to tell us, but he could not say anything else 
 besides his " Yes " and " Tabac." After much hesitation, a 
 large canoe came off with no less than forty-three persons in 
 it. My expectation was greatly raised when I found among 
 them a Yoruba boy of about thirteen years of age, from whom 
 I thought we could get some information about the people ; 
 but the poor little fellow had almost lost his native language 
 through his lonely situation among them. He could not even 
 understand me very well when I asked about his father, 
 mother, and his own town. He must have travelled hundreds 
 of miles before he got into this secret part of Africa. 
 
 As they proceeded up the stream they met with 
 other natives who had, apparently, been in touch with 
 the white man before, seeing that they were dressed 
 in old soldiers' and drummers' coats, wearing battered 
 black hats, but no shirt or trousers. From another 
 village the natives came in their canoes, laden with 
 fruits to exchange for rum, for which they frantically 
 called " Vlolo ! Vlolo ! " and applying their hands 
 to their mouths to show what they wanted. As the 
 captain would not comply with their demand they 
 paddled back again in high dudgeon. 
 
 Here is Crowther's account of a visit to a native 
 potentate, who was interviewed by Mr. Schon in the
 
 56 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 
 
 other steamer. He seems to have been a rather re- 
 markable personage in his way, and no doubt exercised 
 considerable influence in the district. 
 
 Aug. 28. I had the opportunity of seeing Mr. Schon on 
 board the Albert, where the treaty was making with King Obi, 
 who was on board very early this morning. I did not see the 
 King in his best dress yesterday, the day he introduced him- 
 self. He is a middle-sized man between the age of forty and 
 fifty, his countenance is soft, and he appears to be of a peaceful 
 temper. To-day his dress, as I was told, was very plain. 
 He appeared in calico trousers of a country make, and an 
 English-made jacket of the same stuff ; it would have been 
 more respectable had they been cleaner, especially as he had 
 no shirt on. He had on his neck three strings of pipe coral, 
 as large as a man's small finger, two of which were short and 
 close to the neck, while the third extended to the navel. As 
 far as we could count, from the feet of his trousers, when he 
 moved, each of his feet about the ankles was ornamented with 
 eight strings of coral, a dull old brass button closing each 
 string, and two leopard's teeth attached to the strings of 
 coral at each foot. He had on a red cap, over which was a 
 marine's cap decorated with brass scales and other pieces of 
 coloured cords. His Majesty was not a little proud of this 
 equipment from the commander of the expedition. He 
 marched about the quarter deck, with apparent satisfaction 
 at having white men for his friends. He consented to the 
 treaty, and made a proclamation the same day among his 
 people for the abolition of the slave trade in his country. 
 
 One of Crowther's characteristics was a saving 
 sense of humour. He could always enjoy a joke, 
 and many of these entries in his journals show how 
 he rehshed the ridiculous aspect of these natives in 
 their nondescript European costume, and their strut- 
 ting self-importance. The beauty of natural scenery 
 always appealed to him, and though these villages 
 under the palms and mangrove trees were, in a sense, 
 the common objects of his country, they gladdened
 
 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 57 
 
 his eye as the boat pursued its way up the Niger, 
 But from time to time the gross ignorance and 
 spiritual darkness of heathenism presented itself to 
 his mind : its prevalent misery suggested many grave 
 thoughts. All this we find reflected in some entries 
 which he made in his journal at this time. 
 
 There was another circumstance which damped my spirits 
 and tarnished my amusement at the pleasing sight of the 
 villages above mentioned. Among the spectators of our 
 steamers was an old woman, who was bowing down to the 
 ground, kissing her hands and then looking up with great 
 seriousness, as if asking for some protection from the gods. 
 Whether she was performing this act of worship to the figure 
 in front of the ship or to the steamer itself was not certain ; 
 however, it sufficiently shows into what degree of superstition 
 these people are sunk. Moreover, we had to witness the naked 
 bodies of our fellow-creatures floating along one side, or 
 washed about the banks of this splendid river. This is the 
 third time we have seen such unpleasant sights since we have 
 entered this river. If they were slaves whose circumstances 
 could not allow them a burial, it is much more to be lamented. 
 
 Soon after these words were written the expedition 
 sustained a severe loss in the accidental death of 
 their Ingalla interpreter, upon whose services they 
 had chiefly to depend in dealing with these people. 
 He had fallen overboard, and was carried away by 
 the stream and drowned before any help could come. 
 This sad event, coupled with the sickness which 
 began to prevail, had naturally a depressing effect 
 upon the crew, and Crowther did his best to hearten 
 the sinking spirits of his fellow-travellers. We 
 find him reading to the sick men, and under date 
 9 September he makes a note that in his presence 
 the steward of the ship breathed his last, he hoped
 
 58 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 
 
 " trusting in Jesus," whom Crowther had kept con- 
 tinually before his eyes as his only refuge. In the 
 forenoon the poor fellow was buried on a small island 
 in the river. Day by day their troubles were in- 
 creasing, and whenever they got a chance of ex- 
 changing notes with the other vessels it was to tell 
 each other a rather woeful tale. 
 
 This morning the Albert and the Wilberfovce came up to us 
 where we were getting wood. Captain B. Allen immediately 
 came to his ship. He took all his unexpected afflictions with 
 Christian resignation. I went with Mr. Sidney, one of the 
 officers, to a village on the top of the hill, below which we 
 were wooding. These villagers are refugees from the town of 
 Addu Kuddu, on the right side of the river at the confluence, 
 having been driven away by the Fulatahs. From the top of 
 the hill you may see three other villages at the foot. The one 
 on the top of the hill contains two hundred inhabitants, the 
 four together contain eight hundred, at an average. The 
 people are Kakandas. As I could understand a little, I men- 
 tioned to them the design of the expedition, at which they 
 were transported with joy. One of them was so confident 
 that he wished to go with the white men altogether. I asked 
 them whether they would like me to stay among them and 
 teach them about God. They all answered in the af&rmative. 
 
 The chief of this village, an old man about sixty, had been 
 sacrificing a fowl to his idol this morning. The blood he 
 sprinkled on his forehead, to which were attached a few of the 
 fowl's feathers. His idol is rather difficult to describe, as it 
 was a mixture of some sort of grass or palm leaves, clay, and 
 broken pieces of calabashes, to which feathers of fowls were 
 fastened by means of blood. I shook my head, indicating 
 that it was not good, at the same time pointing my finger to 
 heaven, directing him to worship the only true God. He did 
 not pay much attention. They all took fright at Mr. Sidney's 
 instrument to take the distance, but their fears soon subsided. 
 Their huts are built in the same form as those of Iddah — a 
 circular form, and they are so low and close to each other 
 that if a fire should break out in one, the whole village of 
 about sixty huts would be consumed in a moment.
 
 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 59 
 
 It would appear that the expedition kept constantly 
 in touch with the natives on the banks of the river, 
 in order to keep up the supply of fuel for the stokeholes 
 of the ships. They sent men ashore and cut the wood, 
 where it was possible giving some consideration to 
 the inhabitants, and especially when they showed 
 themselves willing to help in supplying this indis- 
 pensable requisite. It may be mentioned here that 
 Crowther afterwards attributed the terrible loss of 
 life on board, in this particular expedition, to the 
 practice of storing green wood in the hold of the 
 vessels, which in progress of rapid decomposition 
 soon filled the ship with malarial germs of fever. 
 Doubtless this hypothesis was a correct one ; at any 
 rate, on future expeditions the suggestion of Crowther 
 that a supply of dry wood for the engines should be 
 towed after the ships in barges evidently prevented 
 a recurrence of the fever. 
 
 The payment of the natives was, of course, made in 
 cowries, the current coin of the country, and in the 
 circumstances of so much illness being on board 
 Crowther had to take these business details in his 
 charge. As an instance we take the following : 
 
 As I was busy purchasing for the purser, who himself is 
 now laid up with fever, I was robbed of some handkerchiefs 
 with which I was bartering, for there were many people about 
 me in the ships. I must say that this people, speaking gene- 
 rally, are honest, and I rather wonder that such acts of dis- 
 honesty were not more common with them, as they were 
 exposed to many temptations on board the ship, where many 
 things were lying about. We buy of them by certain measures 
 of cowries, which we told them contained a certain number ; 
 but as they would take the trouble of counting thousands of
 
 6o SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 
 
 cowries, placing them in heaps of one or two hundred, they 
 very honestly returned the overplus, which, of course, we 
 never took from them. They count by fives with the same 
 quickness as we count by twos. Under a pretence of distrust, 
 we counted these heaps of one or two hundred after them, 
 which we always found to be quite right. If there should be 
 found one dishonest person among these people, that should 
 not be the reason of charging the whole with guilt. For their 
 articles they charge most extravagantly ; for what they want 
 a thousand cowries — the most reasonable price — they will at 
 first ask seven or eight thousand, and if anyone is not aware 
 of this trick he will soon empty his shipload of cowries for 
 their canoe cargo. So fond are these people of cowries, that 
 when they would not take a handkerchief of fivepence value, 
 they would readily take one hundred and fifty cowries, 
 scarcely valuing twopence farthing, at the rate of eight hun- 
 dred and sixty cowries for a shilling. They love to give 
 presents because they expect to receive twice as much. They 
 are very fond of looking-glasses. 
 
 It strikes one that these characteristics are ex- 
 tremely human, and that there are white men and 
 women with all the accomplishments of civilization 
 and some of the benefits of Christianity who would 
 have to confess to a share of the same weaknesses. 
 These simple black folk little dreamed that both 
 cowries and looking-glasses were quite as much 
 sought after in the wonderland from which the ships 
 came. 
 
 At this point the vessels were getting so full of 
 invaHds that it was resolved that the Wilherforce 
 and Soudan should carry this precious cargo of sick 
 folk back to the sea ; but Captain Trotter in the 
 Albert decided to push on a little further, and here 
 Crowther was able to join Mr. Schon, to their mutual 
 satisfaction. When they reached a place called Gori 
 they went ashore, and Crowther, in describing an 
 interview with the chief, draws attention to the curious 
 custom of " the King's mouth." 
 
 We were led to the house of the chief, where the gentlemen 
 of the expedition were seated on mats in the courtyard, about
 
 SOME OF THE BISHOP'S OLD FRIENDS 
 
 Rev. J. F. Schon Rev. J. Br.-\dfokd Whiting Bishop Weeks 
 
 Rev. J. Boyle Rev. Henry Venn Archdeacon Henry Johnson 
 
 Mr. Sydney Gedge Dr. R. N. Cust {Photo, RussiU &■ Sons) Sir Tho.m.as Fowei.l Buxton 
 
 To face page 6i
 
 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 6i 
 
 twelve feet by eight, and formed by five huts in the shape of 
 casks placed in an oval form. 
 
 The chief is about seventy years of age. He appeared to 
 have been so frightened at the sudden appearance of the 
 white men that he could not speak a word, and was thought 
 to be deaf and dumb. There was one who acted as his mouth 
 (or speaker), who answered with great reserve every question 
 put to him, especially such as related to the slave trade. He 
 denied knowing the number of slaves brought to market 
 to-day, or that they were the Attah's subjects. The heat 
 from the crowd by which we were blocked up in this narrow 
 spot was suffocating ; besides, the noise was so great, not 
 only from the spectators, but the headmen themselves, that 
 it was almost enough to deafen anyone else. When one head- 
 man calls out for silence, it takes hiin nearly five minutes to 
 complete his palavering with the people, and when he is on 
 the point of holding his tongue he is never in want of three 
 or four seconders who also must scold the people, so that 
 instead of obtaining quietness both the headman and the 
 people make more noise and create greater confusion than 
 ever, till perhaps after a quarter of an hour there is silence 
 for a time. 
 
 Negotiations under such circumstances were not 
 easy, and especially when almost all the visitors are 
 absolutely ignorant of the language. Mr. Schon was, 
 of course, a good linguist, and during the expedition 
 was able to reduce to writing and grammatical form 
 some of the dialects of the Niger tribes ; but it is 
 evident that Crowther had to be the principal spokes- 
 man, and his kinship as a negro no doubt gave the 
 people a certain confidence in listening to him. 
 
 When they reached Egga, an infragrant spot, the 
 captain and officers had an important interview with 
 Rogang the chief, a person of great authority, and 
 Crowther took some pains to explain to this black 
 ruler the objects of the expedition, from a commercial 
 and religious standpoint. He tells us :
 
 62 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 
 
 After a long walk through narrow and crooked streets we 
 came to Rogang's palace, and in about half an hour's time 
 he made his appearance. After a hearty salutation, by shaking 
 of hands in the name of the king of the ship, and telling him 
 the reasons why the ship could not then come near, I com- 
 menced my message : 
 
 That the Queen of the country called Great Britain has 
 sent the king of the ship to all the chiefs of Africa to make 
 treaties with them to give up war and the slave trade — to all 
 their people in the cultivation of the soil, and to mind all that 
 the white people say to them, as they wish to teach them 
 many things, and particularly the Book which God gives, 
 which will make all men happy. I added likewise that there 
 are many Nufi, Haussa, and Yoruba people in the white man's 
 country who have been liberated from the Portuguese and 
 Spanish slave ships, that they are now living like white men, 
 that they pray to God and learn His Book, and consequently 
 are living a happier life than when they were in their own 
 country, and much better off than their country people are 
 at present. To this many of them said that they could judge 
 of their happy state merely by my appearance. I added, 
 moreover, that our country people in White Man's country 
 had written a letter to the Queen who lives in Great Britain, 
 expressing their wish to return to their country if she would 
 send white men along with them ; but the Queen, who loves 
 us all as her children, told them to stop till she had first sent 
 her ships to the chiefs of Africa, to persuade them to give up 
 war and the slave trade ; and if they consented to her pro- 
 posals she would gladly grant the request of our country 
 people. 
 
 The result of this elaborate palaver seems to have 
 been that, although the astute Rogang was on the 
 whole favourably impressed, he took Crowther aside 
 and confided to him that nothing final could be 
 arranged, as he himself was only a vassal of Sumo 
 Sariki, the Fulatah King of Rabba, who must be 
 consulted. Clearly Rogang stood in terror of his 
 superior. After several more interviews Crowther, 
 with much diplomacy, obtained a mass of useful in-
 
 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 63 
 
 formation, and subsequently had a private consultation 
 with Rogang on his own account. This interview 
 throws some light upon the importation of strong 
 drink into Africa, a practice which has been such an 
 unspeakable evil ever since. It was, he observed by 
 these entries in his journal, that Crowther found these 
 poor natives were not only being drugged with vile 
 stuff, but were cruelly deceived by those who traded 
 upon the alcoholic craze they had created. 
 
 As I wished to buy some articles for curiosity, and the 
 people were generally so much about me that I could scarcely 
 move, I sent the interpreter to ask Rogang if he would permit 
 me to buy what I wanted in his porch — an entrance leading 
 from the street to his yard — where only a few persons might 
 be admitted. He sent word back that he would not have had 
 the least objection to do so, but he was afraid lest the Fulatahs 
 should say that he had given his house for a market to the 
 white men. In private conversation Rogang asked the inter- 
 preter if he had rum to sell — a bottle or two of which he would 
 be very glad to buy. He said that the rum which comes to 
 them from the coast is almost converted to water, yet they 
 paid four to five thousand cowries a bottle. My Yoruba 
 visitors, being Mohammedans, were surprised to see me, as 
 they considered me an English Mallam, drink country beer 
 made of Guinea corn — a stuff which is held in great abhorrence 
 by the Mohammedans, yet they think it not contrary to the 
 precepts of the Koran to drink any kind of spirits. When 
 they came on board they asked me to give them some rum to 
 drink, if it were but a small drop. As I took no grog, I told 
 them that I had none. At leaving, my Mohammedan friends 
 did not forget, among many other things, to remind me, when 
 we came this way again, not to forget to bring plenty of 
 dollars and a large quantity of rum. 
 
 I have just one account of this kind to relate. As we were 
 lying near the village of the refugees on the hills a Nufi Moham- 
 medan, who was returning from Keri market, came alongside. 
 He spoke a little Haussa. As he made himself very friendly, 
 Mr. Waters, the purser, treated him and his wife with great 
 kindness. He took them down to the gun room, gave them
 
 64 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 
 
 biscuits, and set a decanter of wine before them. Whether 
 the woman had taken any wine before I came in or not I could 
 not tell. Her husband placed the biscuits before her, and he 
 himself took possession of the wine. He had taken some 
 before I went in. As it was time for them to go, he was de- 
 sired to do so. He then took a glass of wine and asked me 
 if Mr. Waters could not supply him with some for his journey. 
 He was answered in the negative. He again took another 
 glass. When he was upon the point of rising, still squeezing 
 the decanter as tight as he could, he took another glass. 
 Mr. Waters and the woman had gone up and I was upon the 
 ladder, thinking as there was no person in the cabin he would 
 not stay any longer. When he was rising he took another 
 glass. As I was going up, the servant who stood on the ladder 
 said, " Mr. Crowther, he is taking another glass ; he will 
 finish the wine." 
 
 After he had taken this he came up to us. It is difficult 
 to say in what state of mind this man left the cabin, whether 
 with gratitude and satisfaction for the kind treatment, which 
 he greatly abused, or with regret that he could not get a supply 
 of wine for his journey. He said he belonged to Kattam 
 Karifi, a village on the Niger. He was told to go and get 
 plenty of wood ready against our coming, so he left the ship 
 that evening quite warm at his canoe crew. He had two 
 slaves on board. Early next morning, contrary to our ex- 
 pectation, this man was seen alongside, and he soon found his 
 way into the ship, but to-day he met with an ill reception, as 
 he was not allowed to stay on board five minutes. 
 
 The fever now began to claim its victinris on board 
 with such rapid strides that the journal is a succession 
 of sad records of sickness and death. That brave, 
 high-spirited officer, Captain Trotter, has at last 
 taken to his cabin, and Captain B. Allen is also lying 
 in a most dangerous condition. The only officer 
 left to navigate the ship is Mr. WiUie, the mate. 
 Dr. Stanger has had to take charge of the engines. 
 At ten o'clock at night the captain's clerk takes ad- 
 vantage of the darkness to fling himself overboard
 
 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 65 
 
 in his delirium. A black sailor, however, swims after 
 him and brings him back to be roped down in his 
 hammock ; this precaution has also now to be taken 
 with the second engineer, who is fast losing his wits. 
 Next morning, however, the latter struggles free and 
 leaps into the stream and is seen no more. Dr. Mc- 
 William, in this emergency, takes control of the vessel. 
 Mr, Kingdom dies suddenly, and is buried by Mr. 
 Schon by the marshy bankside, and then drifting 
 dangerously down the river they meet with the 
 Ethiope, an emergency craft bringing news of the 
 terrible mortality on Crowther's old ship, the Soiidan, 
 which has included all three of the medical men and 
 Mr. Waters, the purser. But the toll of precious life 
 is not yet exhausted. A few days afterwards a 
 marine named Cole dies, and is buried immediately ; 
 Mr. Willie follows, and the purser's steward expires 
 in an hour. Then Captain B. Allen passes away, and 
 is carried to his grave by the weak remnants of his 
 ship's company. Within the space of a week three 
 other officers and a marine die and are buried. 
 
 This return of the Albert, running almost unguided 
 down the swift current of the Niger, amid risks on 
 every hand, its decks strewn with dead and dying 
 men, the overworked doctor managing the engines 
 from a book on machinery he finds in the dead cap- 
 tain's room, having to desert his levers to rush where 
 some poor fellow is screaming in delirium : was not 
 this homeward voyage a tragedy indeed ? As a 
 matter of fact, Crowther seems to have been the only 
 man untouched by the fever, and he kept his head as
 
 66 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 
 
 well as his health through it all, working anywhere, 
 and at anything to save the situation. Poor Mr. Schon, 
 with his own temples throbbing with fever, scrawls 
 these words in his journal : 
 
 Pain of body, distress of mind, weakness, sobbing and 
 crying surround us on all sides. The healthy, if so they may 
 be called, are more like walking shadows than men of enter- 
 prise. Truly Africa is an unhealthy country ! When will her 
 redemption draw nigh ? All human skill is baffled, all human 
 means fall short. Forgive us, O God, if on them we have 
 depended and been forgetful of Thee, and let the light of Thy 
 countenance again shine upon us that we may be healed ! 
 
 This piteous cry of a brave man is not to be won- 
 dered at, when we read that on a Sunday morning, 
 while conducting service on the quarter-deck, he had 
 the body of a dead sailor behind him, in front of him 
 the carpenters were busy making a coffin, and in the 
 forepart yonder seven men were lying delirious with 
 fever ! Out of a complement of one hundred and 
 fifty Europeans, the expedition lost forty-two within 
 two months. 
 
 When the news reached England there was universal 
 grief ; such a disaster came as a shock to the people, 
 and it is not surprising that pubHc opinion would 
 not risk a repetition of the attempt for twelve years. 
 And yet something had been done, and the expedition 
 had not been all failure. The expenditure of human 
 life was heavy indeed, and for this reason the ships 
 had to return perforce without reaching their destined 
 point. But the project had paved the way for other 
 pioneers ; its very sufferings were the school in which 
 the lessons of experience had been painfully but use-
 
 SCHOOLMASTER AND EXPLORER 67 
 
 fully taught. It led to a better knowledge of the 
 native tribes and the future establishment of the 
 Niger Mission ; it enabled Mr. Schon to compile 
 a valuable vocabulary of the different tongues, and 
 it added some fresh geographical knowledge of one 
 of the waterways of the world. 
 
 But in addition to this, these journey ings had an 
 immense influence on the life and character of Crowther. 
 We have watched him closely from the slave market 
 to the schoolmaster's desk ; we have seen him pur- 
 suing his studies with eager thirst for knowledge, 
 and across the dim memory of many years his earnest, 
 thoughtful face seems to look at us, with that longing 
 gaze of his, as though yearning to discern the finger 
 of God in his life history. That direction came, as 
 we have seen, to what at first seemed a pleasant 
 voyage of discovery, but proved ere long to be a 
 furnace of affliction to all concerned. And yet the 
 anguish of that experience, when in sight of other 
 woes the iron verily entered into his own soul, was 
 not unprofitable to one who was destined to bear such 
 heavy burdens and to be a succourer of many.
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 
 
 WHEN the Rev. J. F. Schon wrote his long 
 report to the Church Missionary Society on 
 the expedition up the Niger he made a strong point 
 of the importance of a native ministry. In his opinion 
 one of the lessons which that ill-starred enterprise 
 had taught was the needless waste of European 
 life, instead of utilizing Africa's own sons in preaching 
 the Gospel to their countrymen. He then gave these 
 suggestions a practical shape by recommending the 
 society to send for Crowther to England for ordination. 
 Mr. Schon had known him intimately, and his ex- 
 perience of his character and capacities under the 
 trying ordeal of this expedition supplied ample evi- 
 dence to justify this strong recommendation. It is 
 worth while to transcribe here the opinion of this 
 experienced missionary respecting his young and 
 promising companion. On 26 June, 1841, just before 
 their sailing for the Niger he writes : 
 
 The association of Samuel Crowther with me has proved 
 beneficial to both. He becomes much interested in our 
 labours and rendered me great assistance. I have no hesita- 
 tion in saying that I fully believe that, by God's grace, he 
 will render to the mission great service. 
 
 68
 
 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 69 
 
 Again, writing from the Wilberforce at the mouth 
 
 of the Nun River on 11 August, 1841 : 
 
 I have just seen Samuel Crowther from the Soudan, and 
 am happy to say that he is very well and anxious to get into 
 the heart of Africa. I find him a very useful man and wish 
 much to have more of his company, especially when we once 
 get into the interior. He only regrets, with myself, that he 
 cannot pursue his studies as much as he wishes ; he has, 
 however, lost no time. He copied our translations and reads 
 the Greek Testament, which will always be of much use to him. 
 
 Still more to the point is another letter, addressed 
 
 to the secretaries in London on 10 September, 1841 : 
 
 I have thought much about the propriety of Samuel 
 Crowther's returning to England with me and receiving 
 ordination, and should be happy to learn what opinion the 
 Parent Committee may form of this plan on my return to 
 Sierra Leone. Of his decided piety I have no doubt ; his 
 studious habits and anxiety to improve himself would, after a 
 few weeks' attention, qualify him in other respects. He is 
 highly esteemed by all who know him, and his love to his 
 country and for his people would prevail on him to lay him- 
 self out for their good. The committee in Sierra Leone was 
 ever in favour of the measure, and his excellent conduct in 
 this expedition can only raise our opinion of him. 
 
 A testimony from another source was given by 
 
 the Rev. F. Bultimam, one of the missionaries at 
 
 Sierra Leone. It is dated 13 October, 1841 : 
 
 There is no one more fit to be entrusted with the ministry 
 of the Gospel, among his own brethren, than Samuel Crowther. 
 However rarely the solid knowledge of Samuel Crowther is 
 found among his brethren, it is so far more rarely combined 
 with such modesty as his ; and while I am convinced that he 
 would do honour to our Society, if presented by them as a 
 candidate for Holy Orders to the Bishop of London, I sincerely 
 wish and hope that on his return from the Niger this oppor- 
 tunity of evincing the innate prowess of an African mind will 
 be afforded him, though I am sure his modesty will not allow 
 him to ask for it.
 
 70 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 
 
 In response to these high testimonies to his life 
 and capabilities, it is not surprising that the committee 
 summoned him to England, and we find him stepping 
 ashore once again on 3 September, 1842. He would 
 have vivid memories of his former visit as a boy, 
 and how earnestly he had pleaded to be allowed to 
 stay longer. But God knows best, and His best for 
 Crowther was to mould him by these intervening 
 experiences, so that he might present himself a more 
 fit vessel for the Master's use. He looked around him 
 now with the eyes of a man, and from the standpoint 
 of a knowledge of human nature, also with the benefit 
 of the culture of those studious days at Fourah Bay. 
 But above all there burned in his heart the inex- 
 tinguishable passion for the spiritual enlightenment 
 of his own people. He yearned that Africa might 
 be saved. While others had discerned in him gifts 
 and possibilities of future service, he was conscious 
 of that secret and inward call of God to that great 
 work. 
 
 He brought with him in manuscript a grammar 
 and vocabulary of Aku, the Yoruba language, which 
 he had compiled during his leisure hours on board 
 on his way to England. This was of practical value, 
 and showed that in this direction he could be of special 
 utility in the mission field. After several interviews 
 the committee placed him at the Islington Church 
 College in Upper Street for a few months' preparation. 
 Here he was under the direction of the Rev. C. F. 
 Childe, whose daughter wrote that touching account 
 of West African missionary martyrs called the
 
 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 71 
 
 " Finished Course," already referred to, now quite out 
 
 of print, and a rare little record in more senses than 
 
 one. It is difficult to get any memories of his stay 
 
 in this college after so long a time, but we can well 
 
 imagine that he worked hard during this short term 
 
 and fully appreciated the training he received there, 
 
 and is now counted one of the brightest in its roll of 
 
 honoured names inscribed upon its walls. While 
 
 there the annual examination was conducted by- the 
 
 Rev. James Schofield, Regius Professor of Greek at 
 
 Cambridge, who had often discussed with others, 
 
 holding the common idea that the mental capacity 
 
 of a negro is always deficient as regards the logical 
 
 faculty. But after conducting the examination on 
 
 Paley's " Evidences of Christianity," he made the 
 
 following significant remark to the principal of the 
 
 college : 
 
 I should like, with your permission, to take young Crow- 
 ther's answers to those Paley questions back with me to 
 Cambridge, and there read a few of them in the Combination 
 Room to certain of my old Trinity friends. If, after hearing 
 that young African's answers, they still contend that he does 
 not possess a logical faculty, they will tempt us to question 
 whether they do not lack certain other faculties of at least 
 equal importance, such as common fairness of judgment and 
 Christian candour. 
 
 Some of the men who shared lessons with him have 
 also left their mark upon the world to some good 
 purpose. Two especially may be named — Henry 
 Baker, who did such splendid service as a missionary 
 among one of the hill tribes of South India ; and 
 James Hunter, who carried on a like noble work 
 among the Indian tribes of North-West Canada.
 
 72 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 
 
 On Trinity Sunday, ii June, 1843, Crowther 
 received his deacon's orders, and was invited, with 
 another candidate, afterwards Prebendary Newell, 
 to breakfast at Fulham Palace, and to the latter the 
 Bishop remarked, directing attention to Crowther : 
 " That man is no mean scholar ; his examination 
 papers were capital, and his Latin remarkably good." 
 
 Years afterwards, when the Prebendary and Bishop 
 Crowther met at a meeting the incident was mentioned. 
 It greatly amused Crowther, who perfectly remembered 
 being taken to Bishop Blomfield by Mr. Venn, and 
 that he was thereupon examined pretty smartly. 
 After he retired Bishop Blomfield said to Mr. Venn, 
 " He'll do, he'll do, only polish him up a bit," which 
 brightening process Crowther thought must have been 
 the work of Islington, for his chief education he owed 
 to Fourah Bay. In the October following the same 
 Bishop ordained him as a presbyter of the Church in 
 full orders. This occasion, when the first African was 
 to be so ordained in connection with the Church Mis- 
 sionaiy Society, was looked upon as one of the events 
 of the year. When Bishop Blomfield preached the 
 anniversary sermon he referred to this when he said : 
 
 What cause for thanksgiving to Him who hath made of one 
 blood all nations of men is to be found in the thought that 
 He has not only blessed the labourers of the Society, by bring- 
 ing many of those neglected and persecuted people to a 
 knowledge of a Saviour, but that from among a race who 
 were despised as incapable of intellectual exertion and acquire- 
 ment He has raised up men well qualified, even in point of 
 knowledge, to communicate to others the saving truths which 
 they have themselves embraced, and to become preachers of 
 the Gospel to their brethren according to the flesh !
 
 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 73 
 
 It was a remarkable coincidence that his ordination 
 was twenty-one years less one week after, as a little 
 liberated slave boy, he had been put ashore from the 
 Mynnidon at Sierra Leone. It is also worthy of note 
 that soon after his ordination Sir Thomas Fowell 
 Buxton, now full of years, heard Crowther preach 
 in the pulpit of Northrepps Church. How that brave 
 and faithful worker for the oppressed must have felt 
 his heart warmed at the sight of a negro clergyman, 
 a rescued slave, preaching the Gospel ! 
 
 Soon after his ordination Crowther set sail to return 
 to his native land. That voyage home must have 
 filled his mind with many thoughts and expectations 
 of what awaited him, now that under due authority 
 he was to commence his ministry amongst his country- 
 men. As we have seen from his letter, addressed 
 to the secretaries at Salisbury Square, while at Fourah 
 Bay College, he was fully convinced that it would be 
 by the ministry of her own sons that Africa was to 
 be blessed with Christianity. Beyond that he felt 
 his own personal call to this responsible privilege, 
 and his heart was gladdened with the prospect of 
 going to his own people. He watched the lessening 
 shores of England, the land to which he was indebted 
 for both personal and spiritual liberty, and then 
 turned to watch wistfully for the first glimpse of his 
 own homeland over the sea. 
 
 His coming was already exciting a flutter of ex- 
 pectation. A few months before Mr. Davies, one of 
 the missionaries, wrote in a letter home, dated 10 
 August, 1843 :
 
 74 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 
 
 This morning one of the male communicants called to see 
 me with an apparent degree of concern. I asked him what 
 he wanted to say to me. He replied, " I wish to know, sir, 
 if Mr. S. Crowther is crowned a minister, for I long very much 
 to see him back again so that we poor black people may look 
 to him as our Black Minister." 
 
 On 2 December he arrived at Freetown, and was 
 heartily welcomed by troops of friends. The mis- 
 sionaries were delighted to grasp his hand and wish 
 him God-speed, and afterwards to hear all the news 
 from the dear home country, and to receive messages 
 from London. The natives were, of course, full of 
 joy, and one, an old catechist, exclaimed in the spirit 
 of ancient Simeon : 
 
 Happy am I to see that the saving knowledge of the truth, 
 as it is in Jesus, is spreading far and wide in the world, that 
 even Africans, who were bowing down to images, are receiving 
 the sacred scriptures as the very Word of God. Truly may 
 one say that the Lord is now opening a way into the interior 
 of Africa by choosing an African, the Rev. S. Crowther, to 
 be a minister to bear his name among his countrymen. Now 
 many of the sons of fallen man will hear the glad sounds of a 
 Saviour's Name ! May the Lord give His blessing to His 
 servant, that he may be useful in turning many souls to glory ! 
 May the Lord raise up many more after liim to become faithful 
 ministers of His Gospel to the world ! 
 
 On the following day, being Sunday, Crowther 
 preached his first sermon in Africa to an immense 
 congregation of natives in the mission church at 
 Freetown. This was delivered in the English language, 
 of which he was already a perfect master, and would 
 be quite understood by all his hearers, as it had become 
 the common tongue of the Colony, and was taught 
 in the schools as well as used in the churches. He 
 took for his text Luke xiv. 22 : " Lord, it is done
 
 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 75 
 
 as Thou hast commanded, and yet there is room." 
 The preacher made a note afterwards of this memorable 
 gathering : 
 
 It was Sacramental Sunday. I had the pleasure of hear- 
 ing once more, from the lips of my African brethren, the 
 hearty and loud responses of our excellent Liturgy. The 
 singing was performed with solemnity, and I doubt not was 
 with the Spirit and with the understanding also. The novelty 
 of seeing a native clergyman performing Divine Service excited 
 a very great interest among all who were present. But the 
 question, " Who maketh thee to differ ? " filled me with shame 
 and confusion of face. It pleases the Disposer of all hearts to 
 give me favour in the sight of this people. Wherever I go 
 they welcome me as a messenger of Christ. After service I 
 assisted the Rev. E. Jones to administer the Lord's Supper, 
 It was a very solemn season. The Lord was with us. In the 
 evening I preached to a large and attentive congregation from 
 2 Cor. X., parts of 15th and i6th verses. 
 
 He also remarks that at the end of each service, 
 after the Benediction had been pronounced, the 
 whole church rang with the cry of " Ke oh sheh " — 
 " So let it be." 
 
 This is a most interesting stage in his career, the 
 
 beginning of that great work, henceforth his devoted 
 
 and lifelong care. His spirit will be best expressed 
 
 in his own words, and therefore we will quote again 
 
 a few extracts from the journal which he had begun 
 
 to keep, and continued so faithfully to do for many 
 
 years. It will be seen from the date that he had 
 
 hardly been in Africa a fortnight when he penned these 
 
 lines : 
 
 Dec. 13, 1843. Being desirous of carrying out, as far as 
 possible, the instructions of the Parent Committee— preaching 
 in the Yoruba language in the Mission Church at Freetown — 
 I began making some translations during the voyage ; and
 
 76 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 
 
 thinking that the sooner I began to prepare myself the better 
 and easier so as to drive my business, and not let my business 
 drive me, I translated the first three chapters of St. Luke's 
 Gospel with less difficulty than I at first anticipated, always 
 leaving what appeared insufficiently translated until revisions, 
 when new words and thoughts would present themselves, 
 which is generally the case in revising translations. I also 
 translated the first two chapters of the Acts of the Apostles 
 to see how that also would go, and it answers equally well. 
 Thus have I prepared myself with some portions of the Holy 
 Scriptures, although at present some verses require great 
 consideration before the sense is fixed, that I might not be 
 without some sort of provision for my countrymen. 
 
 But it was not only his public services which called 
 for attention, but he began a diligent visitation of 
 his countrymen in the district, and here we have a 
 record of his first visit to a Mohammedan, who had 
 evinced a great desire to see the black minister from 
 over the sea. Crowther always took a deep and in- 
 telligent interest in the followers of the False Prophet, 
 of which more will be seen later on. This, however, 
 is worth notice, as his earhest recorded conversation 
 with one of the Moslem faith : 
 
 Dec. 17. On Lord's Day morning the Mohammedan head- 
 man in the neighbourhood of Fourah Bay sent four men to 
 Bathurst, about seven miles distant, to ask after my health 
 and to learn for certainty whether I was going to the Yoruba 
 country. On Monday I saw him. He is a clever Yoruba man, 
 a very strict Mohammedan, and has a very great influence 
 over those who profess Mohammedanism. He speaks Haussa 
 like a native. I told him and his people who were present, in 
 the Yoruba language, of the influence of Christianity on the 
 people of England, referred them to the proceedings of the 
 Friends of Africa in the late Niger expedition, and remarked 
 that it was the religion of Christ which taught them to love 
 all men and to do them all the good they could. I told them 
 of the importance of yielding to the religion of the white man's 
 Bible, because it led to the sure way of happiness, that the
 
 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 77 
 
 Bible had already been translated into many languages and 
 also into the Arabic, a copy of which I gave him some years 
 ago ; that I was instructed to translate the same into the 
 Yoruba language, that the people may read this Bible for 
 themselves in their own tongue ; and that I should open a 
 service in the Mission Church, where I should read and preach 
 to the people from the Holy Scriptures in the Yoruba language. 
 I did not raise any objections to their faith nor attack it, but 
 endeavoured to show them the great blessings Christianity 
 bestowed on mankind wherever it was embraced. To my 
 great surprise they gloried at one of their countrymen being 
 the first clergyman of the Church of England among the 
 liberated Africans in the colony of Sierra Leone. 
 
 This dates his commencement of services in his 
 native tongue. If he had been impressed with the 
 effect of his first sermon in EngHsh, how much more 
 he felt these, his early ministrations to his own people 
 in their native Yoruba. 
 
 As the people were expecting me to open the Yoruba 
 service in the Mission Church, I fixed the 9th January at 
 half-past four in the afternoon, and requested the Rev. H. 
 Rhodes to notify the same at church on Sunday, the 7th. 
 After the morning service of that day I visited the people in 
 their houses, especially those who never attended Divine 
 Service, and invited them to the Yoruba service on Tuesday 
 afternoon. 
 
 Jan. 9, 1844. Monday. Was visited by the headman of 
 the Yoruba Mohammedans, who is living in the neighbour- 
 hood of Fourah Bay. In our conversation I told him, among 
 many other things, that I should commence a Yoruba service 
 on the 9th, and should be very glad to see him and his people 
 there. 
 
 Jan. 9. This afternoon at half-past four o'clock I opened 
 the Yoruba service in the Mission Church in Freetown. As 
 might be expected, the novelty of the thing brought a large 
 number of people together — Yorubas, Ibos, Calabas, etc. — to 
 witness the reading and preaching of the Gospel of Christ in 
 a native language in an English church. Although the lan- 
 guage is my native tongue, with which I am well acquainted, 
 yet on this occasion it appeared as if I were a babe just learn-
 
 78 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 
 
 ing to utter my mother tongue. The work in which I was 
 engaged, the place where I stood, and the congregation before 
 me were altogether so new and strange that the whole pro- 
 ceeding seemed to myself like a dream. But the Lord sup- 
 ported me. I opened the service in English, when I read 
 those of the prayers which were not translated and a portion 
 of St. Luke's Gospel in Yoruba. In the congregation I ob- 
 served three of my young Mohammedan friends, sent by their 
 headman to attend the service, according to promise. The 
 text from which I preached was taken from the lesson I had 
 read to them — Luke i. 35. I was glad to hear the people 
 express their satisfaction at my feeble attempt to express this 
 doctrine. After service the Mohammedans followed me to my 
 house and expressed their satisfaction at what they had heard. 
 They apologized for the non-attendance of their headman, a 
 stranger having called on him upon a visit, when he was 
 making ready to come to the service. They wished God to 
 help me in this important work I had commenced. 
 
 This must have been an encouragement to Crowther, 
 and shows that his tactful and no less faithful treat- 
 ment of this Mohammedan had met with a measure 
 of success. He was naturally deeply moved at the 
 sight of the heathenism around. Even in Freetown, 
 where the Gospel had been preached for so long, the 
 people in many cases were still in the dense darkness 
 of paganism. He tells us himself : 
 
 A great portion of them are gross idolaters. My visits 
 caused some stir among them. Generally they received me 
 with great respect, and always acknowledged the worship of 
 the only true God as superior to any other ; but they cannot 
 resolve to give up their gods, whom they believe were created 
 by the great God for the good of mankind, and ought there- 
 fore to be worshipped. I told them that none of these things 
 are true, but are the devices of Satan to keep man from God 
 and in darkness and superstition. 
 
 Feb. 23. This day (Friday) is sacred to Shango, the god 
 of thunder and lightning. At seven o'clock this morning I 
 visited a party of the worshippers of Shango, when I was
 
 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 79 
 
 received rather to be thundered upon than to be listened to. 
 On my entering the yard I found the drummers sitting oppo- 
 site the representation of Shan go, which was placed in a 
 conspicuous part of the house. The seat of Shango was 
 a bank of earth, raised a few inches above the ground in a 
 semi-circular form, about two or three feet from the centre 
 to the circumference. The banks of earth were streaked with 
 two broad bands of red clay and white chalk. Within the 
 other circle was another smaller one, in which was placed a 
 wooden mortar bedaubed with blood, and on the top was a 
 large calabash, washed with white chalk and covered up. By 
 the side of this were placed many smaller calabashes, country 
 pots, bottles, etc., and a club with which the thunder does 
 execution, completed the whole. Every Shango worshipper 
 has his house thus furnished. They commence their worship 
 on Thursday night, and drum and dance till Friday morning. 
 Occasionally they offer a ram — an animal particularly dedi- 
 cated to the god. On entering the yard I asked for the master 
 of the house, when one of the drummers presented himself to 
 me. I was offered a seat in the house, and no further notice 
 seemed to be taken of me. Some were busy and in great 
 bustle, while others were drowsy. I called to the pretended 
 master of the house, saying that I wished to speak to him, 
 when he told me to wait a little and he would come. My 
 coming had thrown them into confusion. At last a person 
 came to me, fell on his knees trembling, and said that he was 
 master of the house, and he hoped there was no matter why 
 I came. Kneeling is a mark of great respect among the 
 Yorubas. I told him not to kneel, but to sit down ; that I 
 had come to say something important to him and his friends, 
 but no harm ; and that I wished him to call them all in. As 
 they were coming the head drummer, who seemed to be deeply 
 sunk in superstition and debauchery, made use of most in- 
 decent language. 
 
 Having entered and taken their seats, I drew their attention 
 to the character of their worship from the lewd expression 
 which had been shamelessly uttered in my hearing. This was 
 sufi&cient to inflame the whole assembly. The man rose up 
 with wrath and indignation at my rebuke, and with eyes vivid 
 as lightning spoke like thunder. He instantly referred me to 
 nominal Christians, who he said were the greatest adulterers 
 that could be met with in the Colony, and that he himself was 
 formerly one of the churchgoers, but found no benefit from
 
 8o FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 
 
 his connection with the religion of the Bible. To my great 
 mortification, shame, and regret I was silenced — the charge 
 was too true. 
 
 This is the effect of the inconsistent lives of nominal Chris- 
 tians, and occasion is thus given to this people to speak 
 reproachfully. I asked only for a few minutes' silence just to 
 say a few words to the owner of the house, but even this was 
 hardly granted. However, as he was inclined to hear me, I 
 turned and spoke to him. No sooner did they perceive that 
 he was yielding than they pulled him in every direction to 
 draw him away from me, but he did not go, and I continued 
 speaking to him. When they could bear this no longer they 
 brought their drums and, sitting on the bank where Shango 
 was placed, commenced drumming to drown my voice and 
 cried out in honour of their god. This I did not mind. Find- 
 ing that I was making impression upon the man, they left 
 their drums and actually dragged him away. They asked 
 whether my forefathers were not idolaters, even to the thirtieth 
 generation, whether I was not born and preserved through 
 their gods, and said if my forefathers had gone to hell I must 
 go there also. 
 
 The only weapons I used on this occasion were patience 
 and an even temper, which the Lord has pleased to grant me. 
 I was calm and steady without any notion of anger or indig- 
 nation ; all my expressions went to show that I sought their 
 welfare. When I had obtained a few moments' silence I 
 affectionately addressed myself to the head drummer, and 
 then left the house, promising to call at another time when 
 they were more sober. When I had got into the street two of 
 them ran after me to express their wonder at the command 
 I had had over myself all the time I was insulted, and that, 
 instead of revenging, I had spoken kindly to them. I told 
 them it was the reUgion of Christ only which could make the 
 temper of man sweet and amiable. 
 
 Feb. 25. According to promise, I repeated my visit to the 
 house of the Shango worshippers in Circular Road. Unfortu- 
 nately the master of the house was absent. However, I took 
 the opportunity of speaking to his wife, two other women, and 
 a man, who were present, of the folly of worshipping thunder 
 and lightning. To speak of the principles of electricity is to 
 speak of a new god. I, however, explained the subject to 
 them as well as I could. A small electrical machine would be 
 very useful to this colony and in our Abeokuta Mission towards
 
 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 8i 
 
 opening the understanding and enlarging the minds of this 
 superstitious people. The exhibition of experiments by such 
 an instrument would, I think, go to abate the fears of the 
 people, if not do away with the worship of this god of terror, 
 especially if a few of the worshippers were to be electrified. 
 The votaries of this god are obliged to go out, whether at day 
 or night, when it rains, lightens, or thunders, however awfully, 
 and run about the streets crying out in praise of their god to 
 appease his anger. If any person, or his house or property, 
 should be struck by lightning, they believe it is because he has 
 sworn falsely by Shango, who revenges it. 
 
 As Crowther was now about to start on his first 
 missionary tour, it is necessary to glance at that page 
 of Yoruba history which covers the score of years and 
 more since he was captured as a slave. 
 
 The devastating raids of the Foulah or Fellatah 
 tribes had depopulated vast areas of the country, 
 and Crowther's town of Oshogun had been rebuilt 
 and again destroyed, and it is difficult now to identify 
 the site of the place associated with his happy child- 
 hood's days. The Yoruban king was now an exile, 
 his capital was in the hands of the enemy, and he 
 retreated to the town of Aggo-oj-a with diminished 
 authority, for aU the inferior chiefs had thrown off 
 their allegiance to the fallen sovereign, each fighting 
 for his own hand. 
 
 The scattered natives, running hither and thither 
 to escape the slave hunters, at last found a place of 
 refuge in a huge heap of stones, on a hill near the river 
 Ogun, in the south-western district of their country. 
 It was a primitive fortress, for its huge porphyrite 
 rock called Olumo had provided a hiding-place for 
 a band of robbers. The large rounded stones formed
 
 82 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 
 
 a considerable cavern at the base, and here in 1825 
 a few poor frightened fellow-countrymen of Crowther's, 
 finding the robbers departed, were glad to take up 
 their abode. Others joined them, sharing their 
 hardships as well as their safety, for they dare not 
 show themselves, living for a time on the leaves of 
 the pepper plant and the carcass of any animal which 
 might come within reach. Little by little they grew 
 more brave ; one would steal do\vn to the nearest 
 village and buy a little seed com, and in time tiny 
 patches of growing crops appeared at the foot of 
 the boulders of Olumo. Other stragglers found this 
 refuge, the remnant of at least one hundred and thirty 
 towns which had been destroyed by the slave raiders, 
 and in the course of a few years a large community, 
 comprising a number of tribes and clans, each with 
 its own war captain, judge, and code of laws, in many 
 cases naming their httle village, fondly, after the town 
 of their better days now destroyed. Prosperity 
 waited upon security, and soon they gave their new 
 dwelling-place the name of Abeokuta, i.e. Under the 
 Stone. These people belonged to the Egba tribe of 
 the Yorubans, and were all under the government of 
 a brave and enlightened chief named Shodoke, who 
 arranged for each to\\Ti to have its civil governors or 
 mayors called Oghonis, and war chiefs or generals, 
 called Balaguns. Then they had a sort of general 
 council or parliament, of all these at Ake under the 
 personal leadership of Shodoke. This unity of in- 
 terests gave great strength to the new settlement, 
 and they were able to defend themselves successfully 
 against several serious attacks from their enemies.
 
 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 83 
 
 As might be expected, news was brought them from 
 the coast of the settlement of liberated Africans at 
 Sierra Leone, of English ships with big guns cruising 
 on the sea off the coast and capturing slave vessels, 
 and that at this place, under the British flag, many 
 of their own tribe were living. On both sides there 
 arose fervent longings to meet again, and to those in 
 Sierra Leone it seemed as though the Promised Land 
 of a restored nation was before them at Abeokuta. 
 They determined to start trade relations with the 
 Yoruban settlement, and in 1839 they bought an old 
 slave ship from the Government, and set sail, laden 
 with goods, for Badagry, the nearest port to their 
 destination. Other spirited adventurers landed at 
 Lagos, at the mouth of the Ogun, which, however, 
 was the Popos' land, and these only welcomed the 
 emigrants with their goods for what they could get 
 out of them, and sent their hapless visitors into the 
 interior without food or guidance to perish by the 
 way. 
 
 Those who settled at Badagry fared better ; the 
 town was already in part occupied by Yorubans, 
 and their chief, Wa Wa, was friendly and willing to 
 help the newcomers. The great exodus of the Egba 
 tribe to Abeokuta soon began in real earnest, and 
 their return had many touching incidents. After 
 their arrival at Badagry they would travel for many 
 miles through a flat alluvial country, here and there 
 swampy or covered with thick jungle. Then they 
 would reach the undulating region bright with flowers 
 and shaded with groves of palm trees, along which the
 
 84 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 
 
 clear shining stream of some river would invite them 
 to rest and refresh themselves. But the pilgrims 
 would also see the blackened ruins of the towns 
 which the enemy had destroyed ; in one day's journey 
 they passed no less than twenty of these sad scenes 
 of wanton destruction. And now as they approached 
 Abeokuta they would notice signs of cultivation and 
 industry, farms with poultry, and men busy every- 
 where and happy. Then following the noble river 
 Ogun along its beautiful banks of luxuriant foliage 
 they caught sight of to them the glorious city for the 
 first time. They raised their hands and greeted the 
 city with shouts of joy. Soon they had passed its 
 gates and were eagerly inquiring for their relatives 
 and friends ; they clasped each other with kisses of 
 recognition, and each had a wonderful story to tell of 
 suffering and escape to the sheltering rock of Olumo, 
 of the kindness of the EngUsh at Sierra Leone, and 
 the strange marvels of civilization there. And amongst 
 other things the visitors were not slow to tell of the 
 missionaries who had taught them out of the book 
 of God, and preached how Jesus Christ came to seek 
 and to save those that were lost. 
 
 To the minds of the missionaries at Sierra Leone 
 this wholesale exodus of their people suggested some 
 grave fears. Withdrawn from the guidance and 
 restraints of Christian hfe, these natives might possibly 
 relapse again into the dark practices of heathenism, 
 and, in spite of promises to continue in the good way, 
 it was felt that the new situation was fraught with 
 danger. Indeed, many of those going away shared
 
 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 85 
 
 this feeling too, and a petition was sent to the Church 
 Missionary Society in London, asking for spiritual 
 leaders to accompany them. As a result of this 
 Mr. Henry Townsend, a very promising young mis- 
 sionary, was dispatched on a visit of inquiry to Abeo- 
 kuta. He had an eventful journey, not without many 
 hardships and difficulties, meeting happily with the 
 Rev. T. B. Freeman, with whom he took helpful 
 counsel. But at every step of the way he found 
 many opportunities of preaching the Gospel. At one 
 place where they had stopped for the night, and he 
 had held an evening service, with his party from Sierra 
 Leone, a large crowd of natives gathered and listened 
 attentively. Mr. Townsend in his journal tells us : 
 
 I said, " Do you know the true God who made us all and 
 preserves us day by day ? " 
 
 " No ; but we heard about ten years ago that white men 
 knew Him, and we have wished they would come and teach us." 
 
 " Do you want to know Him ? " 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " Then you must ask God to send you teachers, and He 
 will send them to teach and lead you in the right way of God." 
 
 They arose, and lifting up their hands said, " O God, send 
 us teachers to teach us about Thee." 
 
 On reaching Abeokuta at last, Townsend was 
 received with great kindness and welcomed by the 
 chief, Shodoke, who allowed him to hold services 
 in his palace yard, and promised that if a number 
 of missionaries were sent he would give them places 
 of worship and his full support. Townsend returned 
 to Sierra Leone and came to England in 1843, where 
 he was ordained by Bishop Blomfield and sent again 
 to establish a mission at Abeokuta.
 
 86 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 
 
 This proposal created great interest in Sierra Leone ; 
 offers of help in money and men flowed in from all 
 sides. Mr. Fergusson, the Governor of the Colony, 
 was fully in sympathy with the undertaking, and in- 
 vited Townsend and his fellow-missionaries to break- 
 fast with him on the morning when the expedition 
 was to start. All the missionaries within reach 
 gathered to say good-bye ; they sang : 
 
 Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah, 
 
 and Mr. Schon, with many memories of the Niger 
 expedition, committed them to the safe keeping of 
 God in prayer. 
 
 The missionary party embarking was a large one — 
 two Europeans — the Rev. C. A. and Mrs. Gollmer and 
 the Rev. Henry and Mrs. Townsend — also the Rev. 
 Samuel and Mrs. Crowther, with their two little 
 children ; Mr. Marsh, a catechist, with his wife and 
 two children ; Mr. PhiUips, a schoolmaster ; Mr. Mark 
 Willoughby, the interpreter, with his wife and three 
 children ; four carpenters, three labourers, and two 
 native servants. They sailed on i8 December, 1844, 
 spent Christmas Day at Monrovia, and reached Badagry 
 on 17 January, 1845. 
 
 On landing, where they were very kindly entertained 
 by the Rev. W. Annear, the resident Wesleyan mis- 
 sionary, they received the disappointing news that 
 Shodoke, the friendly chief of Abeokuta, was dead. 
 They had built so many great expectations on 
 the promises of this strong and wise leader, and although 
 messengers arrived soon afterwards with welcoming
 
 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD ^7 
 
 words from the chiefs at Abeokuta, they were warned 
 against going, especially as the roads were infested 
 with robbers. They had, therefore, no alternative 
 but to stay in Badagry for a time until the way was 
 opened to take the journey to Abeokuta. Their 
 present position, indeed, offered plenty of opportunity 
 for mission work. The natives were Popos of the 
 Dahomian type, steeped in degrading and cruel 
 superstition, and in addition utterly demorahzed 
 by the vile rum which the slave ships had been in the 
 habit of supplying in exchange for the captives. 
 Human sacrifices were common, and it was no strange 
 thing for some poor woman, suspected of witchcraft, 
 to be dragged through the streets by her feet until 
 death terminated her sufferings, and her body was 
 thrown into the fetish grave. Just after the party 
 had arrived Kosoko, the nephew of the King of Lagos, 
 had conspired against him, and fled to Badagry, 
 while this man, a cruel and merciless slave dealer, 
 who was responsible for many massacres, tried to 
 gain possession of the town, and threatened Abeokuta. 
 But these troubles did not affect the purpose and con- 
 viction of these brave missionaries in their work. 
 They were prepared for suffering in their Master's 
 cause, and they had been in the place scarcely three 
 months when Mrs. GoUmer passed away suddenly, 
 and they laid her body to rest with much solemnity 
 and mourning. 
 
 Crowther writes thus about this sad event : 
 
 This is the first Christian funeral that has ever been pubhcly 
 performed in this country. Many of the natives out of curi-
 
 88 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 
 
 osity accompanied us to the church and to the burial ground, 
 to witness the burial of a Christian. Though our dear sister 
 is dead, yet she speaks to the natives around, and shows the 
 difference between the death of a saint and the death of a 
 heathen. The scene of this day will not soon wear away from 
 the minds of those who were present — about 150 persons. 
 The chiefs having been informed of our mournful bereavement, 
 sent their messengers to express their sympathy with us. 
 Although no worshippers of the great God who made all 
 things, yet they invariably ascribed this afflictive visitation 
 to the providence of God, who knew and ordered all the events 
 of life in His secret wisdom. Truly, although they knew Him 
 as God, " they glorify Him not as God," but become vain in 
 their imaginations, and their foohsh heart is darkened. 
 
 Mr. Townsend took the opportunity of acquiring 
 more perfectly the Yoruban language, while Crowther 
 and the bereaved Gollmer visited the people, and from 
 time to time preached the Gospel under the shade of 
 an ancient tree, between the two busy markets. 
 On 9 March they opened their first httle church on 
 this very spot. 
 
 Crowther, in his journals, makes some interesting 
 notes of a visit to the chief Ogubonna's house : 
 
 At the entrance to the square we met him sitting on a mat 
 spread on the ground, a fine stout, tall, clean, and noble- 
 looking man, and his pet daughter, really her father's image, 
 about ten years old, but quite naked, sitting close beside him. 
 He soon obtained a chair and two empty powder kegs for our 
 seats. As the drums continued beating and the horns blowing, 
 the noise was so great that we could scarcely hear ourselves. 
 Many of the chiefs came, and were introduced to us by Ogu- 
 bonna. As the noise was still very great he conducted us to 
 the square and into his room, where he lodged us. Here we 
 were glad to rest awhile and to be quiet from the noisy multi- 
 tude. He asked whether we had brought our house (tent) 
 with us ; we answered in the negative on account of our haste 
 in leaving Badagry. Ogubonna not being accustomed to pro- 
 vide for white men, was at a loss what to do on this occasion,
 
 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 89 
 
 but we soon made him easy by ordering one of our men to 
 assist in boiling a fowl and some yams for our dinner and 
 supper. Before supper was ready we passed the time in con- 
 versation, lying on a leopard skin, which was sometimes used 
 for a chair and at other times for a sofa, as we wished to 
 change our position. Supper being ready, after a blessing had 
 been asked, every one took his plate on his lap or placed it 
 on the leopard skin, as it suited him best. We asked Ogubonna 
 to partake with us, but he declined because he did not know 
 how to eat as white men eat. We took some tea without milk 
 and asked Ogubonna to take a cup, to which he consented. 
 To make it agreeable to his taste Mr. GoUmer sweetened it 
 well with sugar, and the chief seemed to enjoy it very much. 
 When it was about nine o'clock we expressed our wish to 
 have family prayer, and said we should be glad if he and his 
 household would join us. He instantly ordered all in the 
 square to assemble, when I read Acts xvii. 16-31, and ex- 
 pounded it to them and prayed in their native tongue. After 
 prayers we told him that it was our custom to read a portion 
 of Scripture every morning and evening and to pray to God 
 with our people, and that not only had I been taught in the 
 white man's country thus to read the Word of God, but many 
 also of our country people in Sierra Leone. To prove this 
 Mr. Thomas Puddicomb, a liberated African of the Yoruba 
 nation, who is our head carpenter, and Mr. Mark Willoughby, 
 Mr. GoUmer's interpreter, were each requested to read a por- 
 tion of Scripture and to translate it to the chief, and Mr. 
 Willoughby read the miracle of the widow's son at Nain, which 
 they both translated to the astonishment of Ogubonna. Mr. 
 Willoughby was liberated at the same time with me, and 
 Mr. Puddicomb at the same time with my wife. We were all 
 taught to read the Word of God at Bathurst school, super- 
 intended at that time by Mrs. Weeks. 
 
 It was very remarkable that these natives who 
 were giving evidence and witness in the presence 
 of this chief should all have been as boys together 
 at the same school after their liberation. The services 
 under the umbrella tree, to which reference has already 
 been made, were a great success, and the formation 
 of a Sunday-school of forty children, the first ever
 
 go FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 
 
 seen in Badagry, became a very popular feature of 
 their work. Crowther had always a tender place 
 in his heart for the children, and could hold their 
 attention and touch them as few were able. One is 
 not surprised, therefore, that he mentions them in 
 his account of such a service on 13 April : 
 
 I preached to a congregation of sixty-three adults and 
 forty children. The children seemed to be peculiarly delighted 
 with the service, and were heard distinctly joining in the 
 Confession, the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the Responses 
 to the Ten Commandments in the Yoruba language. Last 
 Lord's Day I sighed that we could not as yet get any of these 
 children to school, but to-day I brought with me a few letters 
 of the alphabet, thinking they might amuse them and that 
 thus they could at the same time be initiated, though but 
 slowly, into the mystery of speaking their own language out 
 of books, as they see me do every Lord's Day. The simple- 
 hearted children were quite pleased with this new art, and 
 soon blocked me up in their midst to see me point to the moon- 
 like O and the serpent-like S. Although the men and women 
 were at liberty to go away after service, yet they remained 
 to see these wonderful letters. When I was about to return 
 home some of the poor children fell on their faces to thank 
 me for teaching them the White Man's Book. This mode of 
 showing respect I hope hereafter to alter to the more con- 
 venient English custom. 
 
 After several months' stay in Badagry, Crowther 
 had made great progress in his translation of the 
 Scriptures in the Yoruba tongue, and had also 
 translated the Liturgy, so that the congregation 
 could now join inteUigently in the service. This 
 work was of permanent value to the mission, and 
 with the new accompHshment of learning to read, 
 the natives were filled with delight. Especially 
 were they struck with the prayers in the service ;
 
 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 91 
 
 they evidently were able to appreciate, as all must 
 do, the comprehensive scope of these petitions. " Ha ! 
 ha ! ha ! " exclaimed the chief. " So they pray to 
 Olorun (God) for everything, for all people, for their 
 enemies even — we never heard of the like before." 
 
 Crowther always had the deepest affection for the 
 Liturgy of his Church, and it will not be out of place 
 to quote here a few words from his journal, relating 
 an incident which illustrates this : 
 
 When I was spending a few days with a pious officer in 
 the army at Woolwich in 1843 I came in contact with a 
 gentleman of the Plymouth Brethren, who used all the argu- 
 ments he could to get me into his persuasion. When he found 
 that he could not succeed, he gave me this one solemn advice 
 — not to make use of the Liturgy among my country people. 
 In reply I begged him to consider for a moment the propriety 
 of the conduct of a son who has been cared for, nursed up, 
 and taught to pray upon the lap by his kind mother from his 
 infancy, till he attained the years of discretion, and then 
 because the prayers of his mother did not suit his fancy to 
 kick against them. How ungrateful ! I have considered the 
 Church as my mother, which has taught me to pray, as it 
 were, upon her lap by the Prayer Book, when I knew not how 
 to utter a word. After having been thus taught to express my 
 wants, shall I now kick against it ? 
 
 My attachment to the use of the Liturgy has not in the 
 least abated since that time, but, on the contrary, since I have 
 been sifting various portions in translating them into my 
 native tongue, I have found its beauty sparkles brighter and 
 brighter ; it is scriptural in its language, and very well adapted 
 for public service, and I can find no substitute for my country- 
 men. 
 
 Their progress to Abeokuta, so long retarded, 
 was providentially expedited by the interposition 
 of an enemy. Domingo, a notorious slave dealer 
 of Porto-novo, had sent presents to Sagbua at Abeo- 
 kuta, promising to clear the roads of robbers if he
 
 92 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 
 
 would allow a traffic in slaves to be established ; 
 but the missionaries at Badagry had managed to send 
 with this embassy a private appeal to Sagbua, saying 
 how urgently they wished to come to his city and 
 commence missionary work among his people. Ig- 
 norant of this, Domingo had taken the precaution 
 to give a scandalous report of the missionaries, knowing 
 full well that if Christianity became strong in Abeokuta, 
 his slave trade would suffer. When the messengers 
 arrived and had given Domingo's account, Sagbua 
 soon showed them that he was not going to be so 
 easily deceived. 
 
 " We can ourselves," said he, " tell who are our 
 best friends — those who rescue our children from 
 captivity and send them freely to us again, or those 
 who bring goods to purchase them for perpetual slavery 
 and misery. The English are our friends, and you 
 people at Badagry take care, for if any wrong is 
 done to them in your town, you must answer to us for 
 it." So, far from his intention, this slave owner 
 opened the way for the progress of Christianity, 
 instead of his inhuman traffic. They started on 
 27 July, 1846, in the rainy season, but, fearing that 
 any delay might give Domingo a chance of blocking 
 the way after all, they resolved to push forward. 
 It proved to be a terrible journey of misfortunes 
 and difficulty. Nothing but the indomitable pluck 
 and faith of these devoted men and women could 
 have survived such a struggle with the opposing 
 elements. Crowther wrote in a letter to a fellow- 
 missionary at Sierra Leone after their arrival at Abeo-
 
 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 93 
 
 knta, in which he tells something of their woeful plight 
 on this march through jungle and rain. It is dated 
 12 November : 
 
 The first day we travelled about twenty-five miles, with 
 an escort of twenty-five men from Badagry to accompany us 
 till we had passed the most dangerous part of our journey. 
 Being pelted by rain all day, we were glad to rest ourselves 
 in our tent, which we pitched, after we had cleared away the 
 bush, in the middle of a large forest on the bank of a stream, 
 which we had to cross in a bathing-tub the next morning, 
 because it was unsafe to carry anyone across the stream. 
 The tub was brought with us all the way to Badagry, that 
 this stream might not be an obstacle to prevent our proceed- 
 ing to Abeokuta. 
 
 The next morning we crossed the stream with safety in 
 our bathing vessel, navigated by two men as they waded to 
 the middle in the water, the bottom of which was full of 
 roots of trees which grow in it. Our second day's journey was 
 still more difficult than the first, because the road was so badly 
 cut by rain that our horses could scarcely go on, and there 
 was no way to turn on either side, which was high, bushy, 
 and slippery. There were also many trees which fell across 
 the path, around which travellers must go if it cannot be 
 crossed, in doing which our horses and carriers found it very 
 wearisome. Mrs. Crowther was nearly thrown down by her 
 carriers, because they could not keep on their feet on account 
 of the slipperiness of the path ; she had to walk nearly all the 
 way to Abeokuta, which completely knocked her up. Our 
 children, Juliana and Dandeson, were carried on the back 
 according to African fashion ; there was not much trouble on 
 their part, but the poor little children did not like travelling 
 in the dark forest, besides which they were beaten by rain, 
 the path even not admitting the use of an umbrella. When 
 we halted in the forest the second day we were obliged to 
 catch rain-water for our use, there being no water near where 
 we could pass the night with safety. 
 
 A few days later they were gladdened to meet some 
 messengers from the chiefs to welcome them to the 
 town, which they reached at last in pouring rain, 
 wet to the skin, but compelled by their enthusiastic
 
 94 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 
 
 friends to go all round the town to see the sights before 
 being introduced to Sagbua, the King or principal 
 chief. The day previously had been occupied by 
 a long discussion among the chiefs who should have 
 the honour of receiving the English visitors, and the 
 town-crier, a wild-looking person in striped garments 
 of bright colours, with a head-dress of monkey skin, 
 a bell in one hand and a suspicious-looking axe in the 
 other, warned all and sundry of the consequences of 
 interfering with the safety and comfort of Sagbua's 
 guests. 
 
 When the missionaries were in due time introduced 
 to this great man Sagbua, they presented him with 
 a large mirror, which had miraculously survived this 
 travelling, but he, with rare tact, made it over to the 
 Town Hall or Council Room, where it might excite 
 the envy, but not the jealousy, of the chiefs. A public 
 meeting was summoned, and Crowther gave a speech 
 in Yoruba, describing the events which had led to 
 their coming, and what the purposes of the mission 
 would be. Contributions were not wanting towards 
 the new premises required for the work, everybody 
 gave at least one thousand cowTies, equal to two 
 shillings and sixpence English (which would have 
 broken the record in any missionary meeting in the 
 white man's land), and Sagbua, with a chairman's 
 generosity, gave 20,000 cowries and a sheep into the 
 bargain. Crowther shrewdly remarks that this copious 
 collection did not strike him after all as so remarkable. 
 "No wonder; some of the chiefs had liberated rela- 
 tives of their own, sitting by them at the very time."
 
 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 95 
 
 A piece of land liaving been allotted, the mission- 
 aries began to enlist their friends in the task of building 
 a house for the Lord, Women fetched the clay with 
 which to make the walls, and to these helpers they 
 gave threepence each. The labour difficulty with 
 them was, however, just the reverse of its common 
 complaint in the white man's land. So many offers 
 of assistance came that they reduced the pay to two- 
 pence, but nearly four hundred applied. To thin their 
 ranks the rate was again reduced to one penny, 
 when six hundred and seventy offered, and even then 
 a huge crowd of willing but unemployed stood all day 
 lost in admiration at the way the women worked, 
 exclaiming, " God is great, white men have sense." 
 The result of all this industry was a quite respectable 
 church with glass windows, smooth boards for flooring, 
 and generally, considering it was native handiwork, 
 good workmanlike finish. 
 
 During this visit to Abeokuta Crowther had re- 
 ceived intelligence that his mother was still alive 
 with his sisters at the neighbouring town of Abake. 
 He therefore lost no time in sending for them, and 
 the news seemed so incredible that the sisters would 
 not act on it. But the old mother's heart had more 
 faith, and in the company of one of Crowther 's half- 
 brothers she started for Abeokuta, The meeting, 
 so sacred and wonderful, must not be described in 
 any words but those of Crowther himself : 
 
 The text for to-day in the Christian Almanac is " Thou art 
 the Helper of the fatherless." I have never felt the force of 
 this text more than I did this day, as I have to relate that
 
 96 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 
 
 my mother, from whom I was torn away about five-and- 
 twenty years ago, came with my brother in quest of me. 
 When she saw me she trembled. She could not believe her 
 own eyes. We grasped one another, looking at one another 
 in silence and great astonishment, while the big tears rolled 
 down her emaciated cheeks. She trembled as she held me by 
 the hand and called me by the familiar names which I well 
 remember I used to be called by my grandmother, who has 
 since died in slavery. We could not say much, but sat still, 
 casting many an affectionate look towards each other, a look 
 which violence and oppression had long checked, an affection 
 which twenty -five years had not extinguished. My two 
 sisters, who were captured with me, and their children are all 
 residing with my mother. I cannot describe my feelings. I 
 had given up all hope, and now, after a separation of twenty- 
 five years, without any plan or device of mine, we were 
 brought together again. 
 
 The story she had to tell her son was full of very- 
 sorrowful remembrance. After he had been taken 
 to the coast she and her daughters regained their 
 liberty, and went to live with the half-brother, who 
 had redeemed them. They could hear nothing of 
 the lost Adjai. The sisters married, and after a time 
 of peace and safety, one day when the mother and 
 her eldest daughter were going to market, they were 
 kidnapped, and the daughter had to be ransomed by 
 her husband. But the poor old mother was dragged 
 from place to place, exposed for sale in the market 
 place, and being so aged was made a domestic slave. 
 She was sent by her mistress to Abeokuta, and, again 
 captured on the road, sold into hard and bitter bon- 
 dage, until her daughter collected cowries sufficient 
 and bought her back for £4 los. 
 
 There is something inexpressibly touching in this 
 reunion between mother and son, and also that she
 
 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 97 
 
 should become his first convert in Abeokuta. She, 
 of course, accepted his fihal offer to come and stay 
 with him, but he was pained at heart often to see how 
 she was still without knowledge of the true God and 
 in heathen darkness of soul. This happy event of 
 meeting her son once more she attributed to the in- 
 fluence of his deceased father in the unseen world. 
 But one bright day she accepted Christ as her Saviour, 
 and was able to mingle her weak and quavering voice 
 with the prayers of her son. Her change of heart 
 was in part due to an illness, and it was an abound- 
 ing joy to Crowther when she quietly told him, " Had 
 I been left alone I should have attributed my sickness 
 to this or that deity, and should have made sacrifices 
 accordingly ; but now I have seen the folly of so doing, 
 all my hopes are in the Lord Jesus Christ, whom now 
 I serve." 
 
 She was baptized with the appropriate Christian 
 name of Hannah by her son Samuel on 5 February, 
 1848, and lived to be over a hundred years old. 
 
 The work at Abeokuta made so much progress that 
 Crowther, in a letter home, dated 3 August, 1849, 
 wrote : 
 
 This mission is to-day three years old. What has God 
 wrought in that short period ! We have 500 constant atten- 
 dants on the means of grace, 80 Communicants, and 200 
 candidates for baptism. 
 
 Mr. Townsend had to return home on account of 
 his wife's ill-health, and the Rev. J. C. Muller and 
 Crowther were joined in May by the Rev. D. Hinderer, 
 a most valuable helper. At this time Crowther
 
 98 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 
 
 and his family had made their home at Abeokuta, the 
 children still young in years. An interesting incident, 
 with its personal touch, then occurred. The mission 
 had already attracted much attention in England, 
 and a little girl in the West of England made some 
 childish sacrifices in order to send a few picture 
 books for Crowther's little ones in their African 
 home. This youthful helper of the missionary cause 
 is an old lady now, but she has preserved as a precious 
 memento the letter from Crowther's daughter Julianna, 
 written by her father's hand, but evidently at the 
 dictation of his tiny girl. It is dated from Abeokuta, 
 II June, 1849, and gives us a peep into the home life 
 of the Crowthers at this time : 
 
 My dear Ellen, — My papa read your kind letter to me and 
 Dandeson, and gave us the little books which you denied your- 
 self the pleasure of sweet sugar plums in order to purchase for 
 us. We like them very much, and as we cannot understand 
 all that they contain yet, our papa has kept them in good 
 order for us till we can read them through and understand all 
 in them. He carefully put them up in envelopes, but we hke 
 now and then to look at them and return them to him for 
 safe keeping. I remember the time very well when we were 
 crossing the river on the backs of our carriers, but Dandeson, 
 being much younger, almost forgets all about it ; the journey 
 of four days in the bush on the backs of men was very tire- 
 some. I have seen the picture of our crossing that river, 
 called Mojuba. 
 
 My papa has a great deal to do. As I myself cannot write 
 a good letter yet, he has kindly done it for me. I am learning 
 to write in copy-books which papa gave to me, and I hope 
 by and by to be able to write myself, as my elder sister, who 
 is now in England, can do. Miss Lanfear saw her. My 
 mamma teaches me to sew and to mark on canvas, and I shall 
 soon be able to master all my letters. I have some native 
 school companions living with mamma ; they knew not a 
 letter when they first came, and did not know how to hold
 
 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 99 
 
 needles, but since mamma has taken pains with them they 
 can now hem and make stitches, and they learn to read very 
 fast in the school. Four of them have been baptized by papa 
 at the earnest request of their parents. 
 
 I hope you will pray for us all that we may grow up good 
 children and love the Lord Jesus Christ from our childhood. 
 
 My mamma desires her kind love to you and your kind 
 aunt, who wrote your letter. 
 
 Dandeson is gone to bed, but I am sure he would also send 
 his love to you. Our grandmamma is quite well ; she has 
 been baptized. 
 
 I remain. 
 
 Yours affectionately, 
 
 JULIANNA CROWTHER. 
 
 But news of the approach of a Dahomian army 
 soon plunged the devoted city into wild excitement 
 and dismay. Everybody, including the missionaries, 
 knew that the miscreant who called himself the King 
 of Dahomey had determined to utterly make an end 
 of this Abeokuta, which stood so much in his way as 
 a slave trader. At first it seemed as though they were 
 helpless and at his mercy, and that the city built up 
 with such patriotism and patience, and the mission 
 work with its peaceful success, were to be wiped out 
 amid a wholesale slaughter of the inhabitants. At the 
 outset the Egbas failed to hold back the enemy at the 
 ford, and retreating, waited on the walls to repel the 
 assault. For a long time both sides exchanged musketry 
 fire, much to the advantage of the defenders, who 
 were partly under shelter, and then, after resisting 
 many attacks, the Egbas made a sortie, and the 
 Dahomian army turned tail and fled. Some of the 
 famous Amazons were captured, but many of the 
 enemy fell in battle. It was a glorious victory,
 
 100 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 
 
 and a merciful deliverance for Abeokuta, to the Egbas 
 akin to the defeat of the Spanish Armada. On 
 the day following Crowther picked his way over 
 the battlefield, and was grieved to notice on the 
 side of the enemy almost as many women slain as 
 men. 
 
 This occurred in March, 1851, and soon afterwards 
 Crowther came on his third visit to England, reaching 
 London on 13 August of that year. Before going, 
 however, he had the opportunity of explaining to 
 the chiefs and people a very gracious message which 
 had arrived from the Queen of England. This was 
 in answer to a letter which they, on their own initiative, 
 had addressed to her, and sent by the hand of Mr. 
 Townsend. In it they spoke with gratitude of the 
 missionaries. " We have seen your servants the 
 missionaries, whom you have sent to us in this country. 
 What they have done is agreeable to us. They have 
 built a house of God. They have taught the people 
 the Word of God, and our children besides. We begin 
 to understand them." But the burden of their 
 letter was the sorrows of slavery, and to implore the 
 good white Queen to deal summarily with the people 
 on the coast at Lagos who still thrived on the traffic 
 in flesh and blood. The gracious reply of Her Majesty, 
 sent through the Earl of Chichester, was delivered 
 at a great gathering of chiefs, and at the same time 
 Sagbua was presented with some gifts which ac- 
 companied it, two beautifully bound Bibles and a steel 
 com miU from Prince Albert. Crowther translated 
 the kindly letter in these words :
 
 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD loi 
 
 The Queen and people of England (he explained) are very 
 glad to hear that Sagbua and the chiefs think as they do upon 
 the subject of commerce. But commerce alone will not make 
 a nation great and happy like England. England has become 
 great and happy by the knowledge of the true God and Jesus 
 Christ. The Queen is therefore very glad to hear that Sagbua 
 and the chiefs have so kindly received the missionaries, who 
 carry with them the Word of God, and that so many of the 
 people are willing to hear it. 
 
 The reading of this message created a profound 
 impression upon the King and his great warriors 
 as they sat in the outer court of the Council House 
 at Ake. Crowther then proceeded to show them the 
 two handsome Bibles which had been sent to them, 
 and he took the opportunity of reminding Sagbua 
 that in reading therein he would see that King David, 
 Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and Josiah had prosperous 
 and glorious reigns because they feared God, and led 
 the people in His worship and service ; on the other 
 hand he pointed out that when Israel rejected God 
 and turned to idolatry and sin, they were punished 
 with severe judgments. 
 
 After this Crowther brought forward the wonderful 
 steel mill which Prince Albert had sent for their use. 
 The whole crowd watched with eager eyes full of 
 curiosity, and when some Indian corn was put in, 
 the handle turned, and fine flour poured forth, their 
 delight knew no bounds. An incident a few days 
 later showed that Sagbua, however impressed by 
 the words of the missionaries and the message of 
 the Queen, was still at heart a heathen. Crowther 
 was talking to him when he solemnly asked whether 
 he ought not to offer some sacrifice to the beautiful
 
 102 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 
 
 things which he had received. Astonished, Crowther 
 
 asked, " What things ? the corn mill or the Bibles ? " 
 
 " The Bibles," was the prompt reply. After reading 
 
 from Scripture some passages about idolatry, it was 
 
 explained to the chief how such an offering would be 
 
 at variance with its teaching. Ogubonna, however, 
 
 seems to have taken the matter much more to heart, 
 
 for he spoke to Crowther of the deep impression the 
 
 meeting had made on him, and gave it as his firm 
 
 persuasion that in six years Christianity would become 
 
 the national faith of Abeokuta. 
 
 During Crowther's brief stay in England he had 
 
 an interview with Lord Palmerston, to explain to the 
 
 Foreign Secretary the political position on the West 
 
 Coast, and especially Abeokuta, and how that the King 
 
 of Dahomey was not only an unscrupulous slave 
 
 trader, but was injuring the interests of commerce 
 
 and civilization on the coast. On i8 December, 1851, 
 
 Lord Palmerston addressed a letter to Crowther, 
 
 expressing his pleasure at having had this interview ; 
 
 he added : 
 
 I am glad to have an opportunity of thanking you again 
 for the important and interesting information with regard 
 to Abeokuta which you communicated to me when I had the 
 pleasure of seeing you at my house in August last. I request 
 that you will assure your countrymen that Her Majesty's 
 Government take a lively interest in the welfare of the Egba 
 nation and of the community settled at Abeokuta, which town 
 seems to be a centre from which the lights of Christianity and 
 of civilization may be spread over the neighbouring countries. 
 
 It was an honour to receive this letter, but a still 
 greater distinction was in store. One day Lord 
 Wriothesley Russell asked Crowther to accompany
 
 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 103 
 
 him to Windsor, where he was very kindly received 
 by the Prince Consort, who discussed with interest 
 the position of affairs on the West Coast of Africa, 
 following the story by reference to a large map. 
 Presently a lady came into the room, and entered 
 into the conversation, and it was only by a word 
 dropped by Lord Russell that Crowther knew that 
 he was in the presence of the Queen herself. For a 
 moment he was quite overcome, but she soon put him 
 at his ease again, and the gracious lady listened 
 with deep interest as he spoke of the steadfastness 
 of the native Christians in his country under such 
 cruel persecution and trial. This interview with 
 Her Majesty Crowther never forgot. Indeed, it was 
 his practice, when his children were young, to relate 
 to them this wonderful story of their father's Ufe, 
 and even wrote it out for them to read. This graphic 
 and most interesting narrative has happily been pre- 
 served, and is here given, word for word, just as 
 Crowther told it : 
 
 " Through the kind recommendation of the then 
 Hon. Secretary of the C.M.S., the late Rev. Henry 
 Venn, on the slave trade question agitating the minds 
 of the Members of Parhament at that time, on 18 
 November, 1851, at 4.30 p.m., Lord Wriothesley 
 Russell kindly took me to the Palace at Windsor. 
 On our arrival there Prince Albert was not in ; the 
 servants in waiting went about to seek him. While 
 we were waiting in a drawing-room I could not help 
 looking round at the magnificence of the room ghtter- 
 ing with gold, the carpet, chairs, etc., all brilliant.
 
 104 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 
 
 While in this state of mind the door was opened, and 
 I saw a lady gorgeously dressed, with a long train, 
 step gracefully in. I thought she was the Queen. 
 I rose at once, and was ready to kneel and pay my 
 obeisance ; but she simply bowed to us, said not a 
 word, took something from the mantelpiece, and 
 retired. After she left Lord Russell told me that 
 she was one of the Ladies-in-waiting. ' Well,' I said 
 to myself, ' if a Lady-in-waiting is so superbly dressed, 
 what will be that of the Queen herself ! ' Soon we 
 were invited to an upper drawing-room, more richly 
 furnished than the first. Here we met Prince Albert 
 standing by a writing-table. Lord Russell made 
 obeisance and introduced me, and I made obeisance. 
 A few words of introductory remarks led to conversa- 
 tion about West Africa, and Abeokuta in particular. 
 The Prince asked whether we could find the place on 
 any map, or thereabouts. I then showed the position 
 in the large map from the Blue Book, and brought 
 out from my pocket the small one which Samuel 
 [his eldest son] had made on the section of the slave 
 trade influence, with the different towns and seaports 
 legibly shown. About this time a lady came in, 
 simply dressed, and the Prince looking behind him, 
 introduced her to Lord Russell, but in so quick a way 
 that I could not catch the sound. This lady and the 
 Prince turned towards the map to find out Abeokuta 
 and Sierra Leone, where the slaves are liberated. 
 All this time I was in blissful ignorance of the Great 
 Majesty before whom I stood, was conversing freely 
 and answering every question put to me about the
 
 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 105 
 
 way slaves are entrapped in their homes, or caught 
 as captives in war. On inquiry I gave them the history 
 of how I was caught and sold, to which all of them 
 listened with breathless attention. It was getting 
 dark, a lamp was got, and the Prince was anxious to 
 find and define the relative positions of the different 
 places on the map, especially Lagos, which was the 
 principal seaport from which Yoruba slaves were 
 shipped ; and when the Prince wanted to open the 
 Blue Book map wider, it blew the lamp out altogether, 
 and there was a burst of laughter from the Prince, the 
 lady, and Lord Russell. The Prince then said, 
 ' Will your Majesty kindly bring us a candle from 
 the mantelpiece ? ' On hearing this I became aware 
 of the person before whom I was all the time. I 
 trembled from head to foot, and could not open my 
 mouth to answer the questions that followed. 
 
 " Lord Russell and the Prince told me not to be 
 frightened, and the smiles on the face of the good 
 Queen assured me that she was not angry at the 
 liberty I took in speaking so freely before her, and so 
 my fears subsided. I pointed out Lagos, the par- 
 ticular object of inquiry, and told them that I with 
 others were shipped from that place, and showed the 
 facility which that port has, beyond all the other 
 ports, as a depot, being much nearer, and the port 
 of the highway to the interior Yoruba countries. 
 The Prince said : ' Lagos must be knocked down, 
 by all means ; as long as they have the lake (lagoon) 
 to screen themselves, and the men-of-war outside, it 
 is of no use.'
 
 io6 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 
 
 "The Queen was highly pleased to hear this. Lord 
 Russell then mentioned my translations into the 
 Yoruba language, and I repeated, by request, the 
 Lord's Prayer in the Yoruba, which the Queen said 
 was a soft and melodious language. Lord Russell 
 informed the Queen of my having seen Sir H. Leeke, 
 who rescued me and others from the slave ship many 
 years ago, which interested her very much. She 
 was told that Mrs. Crowther was recaptured in the 
 same way that I was, and she asked whether she was 
 in England, and was told no. She asked after SaUy 
 Forbes Bonetta, the Yoruba African young girl 
 rescued from Dahomey. After these questions she 
 withdrew with a marked farewell gesture." 
 
 Before he returned to his native land Crowther 
 addressed a large audience composed of the students 
 of the University of Cambridge, and appealed to them 
 with touching earnestness for missionaries, who would 
 preach the Gospel to his people on the West Coast 
 of Africa. His closing words were : 
 
 St. Paul saw in a vision a man of Macedonia, who prayed 
 him to come over to his assistance. But it is no vision that 
 you see now ; it is a real man of Africa that stands before you, 
 and on behalf of his countrymen invites you to come over 
 into Africa and help us. 
 
 On 5 December, 1851, the old parochial schoolroom 
 in Church Street, Islington, was the scene of a very 
 interesting gathering, to which Crowther and his wife, 
 with another missionary, said good-bye on their 
 leaving for West Africa. The Earl of Chichester,
 
 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 107 
 
 the President of the Church Missionary Society, 
 presided, and amongst many well-known friends of 
 the cause was the Rev. Daniel Wilson, the excellent 
 Vicar of IsHngton. The speeches were not many, 
 chiefly the Rev. Henry Venn, clerical secretary, con- 
 veying the wishes of the committee ; but the reply of 
 Crowther, who with his wife attracted the greatest 
 attention, sitting there with their bright eyes suffused 
 with emotion, two black faces amid a concourse of 
 white men, is happily preserved to us. 
 
 Presently the secretary arose, and thanked God 
 for all that had been done since the Yoruba mission 
 eight years ago, and how very merciful He had been 
 in delivering Abeokuta from the hordes of the King 
 of Dahomey. Then in earnest tones he gave many 
 discreet cautions to the outgoing missionaries that 
 they might be " harmless as doves " in the midst of 
 the people. He congratulated Crowther upon his 
 tactful dealing with the chiefs, and urged him to be 
 careful in deahng with their enemies, the slave traders, 
 the Mohammedans, the native priests, and the ignorant 
 heathen. And then he turned to the future, and 
 seemed to see already the dawn of those days of blessing 
 which were to follow. He begged them to remember 
 that the future character of the Christian Church in 
 West Africa was at stake, and their policy and in- 
 dividual action would influence it. Their sphere of 
 labour was very different from India or New Zealand, 
 where other missionaries had been on the ground 
 before ; but here on the Niger they would have not 
 only to spread Christianity, but fix its character,
 
 io8 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 
 
 organize a native Church, create a Christian literature, 
 and lay plans for days to come. 
 
 He asked them to aim at self-government and self- 
 support, to put the Bible in the hands of the people, 
 and said how much they were already indebted to 
 Crowther for his translation into Yoruban of a great 
 portion of the Holy Scripture and the Liturgy. 
 They were recommended also to start an educational 
 institution at Abeokuta for young men and young 
 women. He then turned to Mrs. Crowther, and told 
 her how heartily England welcomed her as the help- 
 meet of her husband, and how important they all 
 felt her position was as the first Christian mother in 
 Abeokuta, and they rejoiced that her own children 
 were also an example to others : 
 
 May she return with a double blessing to her country- 
 women ! May she indeed be a mother to that spiritual Israel 
 in the wilderness of Africa ! And may the native Church, 
 once confined to the house of Samuel Crowther, become a 
 national Church, but still retaining its character as an aggre- 
 gation of Christian households, bound together by one common 
 tie of love and union with Christ, in whom all the families of 
 the earth are blessed ! 
 
 When Crowther arose to speak his heart was very 
 full, and amid a deep and impressive silence he re- 
 minded the audience that eight years ago, in company 
 with a great company of missionaries, he first received 
 his commission with much fear and trembhng. He 
 feared because he had a doubt in his own mind whether 
 it was possible to obtain an entrance into a country 
 which the slave trade had rendered so difficult of 
 access ; but the promise of Him who said, " Lo, I am
 
 FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 109 
 
 with you alway, even unto the end of the world," had 
 been fulfilled. He drew attention to the importance 
 of the time he had been able to use in translation, 
 so that the Word of God, at any rate a part of it, was 
 now in the hands of their converts, and they made 
 it a topic of conversation in their homes and on their 
 farms, and its influence had also been felt in the war 
 camp. With a fervent optimism he spoke hopefully 
 of his nation. They were an industrious people, 
 anxious for trade and commerce. They were weary 
 of the slave traffic and sighed to be relieved from it. 
 This was their great enemy, and when this was removed 
 there was nothing to disappoint the expectation that 
 Christianity would extend rapidly to the Niger. 
 
 These native Christians (he said) are quite ready with a 
 reason for the truth as it is in them, and can stand their 
 ground bravely. When during the fierce days of persecution 
 at Abeokuta they were required to renounce Christianity, 
 they were enabled to reply : " You elder chiefs admitted the 
 teachers without consulting us. When you did so, they told 
 you what they were going to teach, and that they had no 
 cloth, no tobacco to give. You gave them admission. Then 
 why do you now hinder us from going to them ? The Book 
 and the religion which they teach we consider this as our 
 share. When they came we had no part of the gifts which 
 you received from them. When you promised them that they 
 should have children to teach, we had no share of the presents. 
 Now this instruction is our share." 
 
 These natives (pursued Crowther) are quite ready for 
 employment in the cultivation of cotton in the country, of 
 which I have hopes that a real trade will be one day estab- 
 lished. 
 
 Brethren, believe me, these Christian natives of Abeokuta 
 do not wish to keep the Gospel to themselves. Already they 
 have promised that teachers should be sent to other towns ; 
 nor do they fail, wherever they go, to speak of what they know. 
 I am going back to my own land with great hope in my heart,
 
 no FROM COLLEGE TO MISSION FIELD 
 
 feeling much blessed and encouraged, and have only to ask 
 that my many kind friends in England will continue to pray 
 for me and for the salvation of my people. 
 
 At the close of this meeting many crowded round 
 Crowther and his wife to wish them God-speed, and 
 a few days afterwards they had set^sail, and were 
 once more on their way to their native land.
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 
 
 WHEN Crowther arrived at Sierra Leone he 
 was heartily welcomed by many old friends. 
 In many respects it was a homecoming, for it was 
 here that he first experienced the blessing of Christian 
 love, and his young mind had begun to lay in store 
 those firstfruits of knowledge for which it hungered. 
 He was a boy then, and ran these streets barefoot 
 with his slate and books ; then as a young man he 
 was student and afterwards tutor of the College on 
 the head of Fourah Bay ; here, too, he asked the 
 schoolmistress at Bathurst to become his wife. What 
 memories were awakened by these familiar scenes ! 
 
 Although Abeokuta was his destination, he remained 
 some time at Sierra Leone, and whenever he preached 
 the churches were crowded to hear him. In some 
 cases he spoke in English, but the people were always 
 anxious to hear him in his own tongue, and afterwards 
 he would often give them a little discourse in the 
 Yoruba language to their pleasure and profit. In some 
 cases where he would be preaching to the people in 
 English, and there occurred any text of special diffi- 
 culty, he would drop into his native tongue, so that 
 
 III
 
 112 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 
 
 he might more perfectly explain it to his countrymen. 
 Before leaving Sierra Leone he attended a missionary 
 meeting which was crowded with people, who listened 
 with profound attention as he told the story of the 
 work at Abeokuta, how the converts stood the fire 
 of persecution, and what a grand future appeared to 
 be in store for this famous city, the rallying-point of 
 his scattered nation. Many who listened to this 
 address recognized the names of places and people, 
 and aU were proud to think that one of their own 
 nation should have been so honoured as to become 
 a clergyman. 
 
 On 14 June he reached Lagos, and here again the 
 site of a never-to-be-forgotten event awoke many 
 thoughts. He was able to point out to Mrs. Crowther 
 the very spot from which, in 1822, he had been forcibly 
 shipped as a slave boy. He remembered so well his 
 trembling at the unaccustomed sight of so much 
 water, and his simple and unfounded fears when on 
 the safe deck of the English ship of war. Walking 
 over the old places again, he stopped to take off his 
 hat and reverently thank God on the very bit of shore 
 where he with others was chained to the slave hut. 
 In after years he often said, " What hath God 
 wrought ! " but he felt his own personal history the 
 greatest miracle of mercy. One of the reasons for 
 his thankfulness at this time was the sight of so 
 much change and improvement and civilization show- 
 ing itself everywhere. Crowther was an ardent 
 patriot, the love of country and tribe beat in his 
 bosom, and he rejoiced that instead of degrading
 
 MARKET PLACE, LAGOS 
 
 To face page 112
 
 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 113 
 
 slavery on all hands were to be seen the peaceful 
 pursuits of trade. He writes : 
 
 I could well recollect many places I knew during my 
 captivity, so I went over the spots where slave barracoons 
 used to be. Wliat a difference ! Some of the spots are now 
 converted into plantations of maize or cassava, and sheds 
 built on others are filled with casks of palm oil and other 
 merchandise, instead of slaves in chains and irons, in agony 
 and despair. 
 
 When, in due course, Crowther reached Abeokuta, 
 a large number of Christian natives came to welcome 
 him, and the other missionaries there were equally 
 glad to have him back again. He found the work 
 going on apace, and during his next two or three 
 years he was enabled to make progress with translating 
 the early books of the New Testament. In the course 
 of this labour he found many of the laws and customs 
 of his own nation in harmony with those given to 
 ancient Israel, and he noted that many Yoruba 
 words were related to the Hebrew. These Yoruba 
 countrymen of Crowther's were a wideawake and in- 
 telligent people in many respects. He relates an 
 interview with one, upon whose attention he was 
 urging the claims of Christianity : 
 
 One man, an Ifa priest, spoke very sensibly. " Softly you 
 must go with us," was his first answer, " or you will spoil the 
 whole matter ; stretch the bow too much and it will break. 
 Remember how deeply we are rooted in heathenism. We 
 cannot get out of it all at once." I thought, and said : "If 
 you would even make a beginning at once on the ' new road,' 
 as they call it, you would still leave us scope enough to exer- 
 cise patience." His answer was : " Some time ago, in a 
 conversation with your servants, I was, among other things, 
 told that a man who serves God could no more steal, no more 
 deceive, no more commit adultery. These words we have as
 
 114 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 
 
 we remember, but our eyes are watching your hands also, to 
 see what they do. Only have a little patience. After some 
 time we shall see if the works of your hands agree with the 
 words of your mouth ; then we shall consider again if this 
 new way will suit us also." 
 
 It will be remembered that the early history of the 
 Crowther family was in past times associated with 
 the Kingdom of Ketu, and on 5 January, 1853, we 
 find him making a journey from Abeokuta on a visit 
 thither. Here he had some striking experiences. 
 
 He tells us that on reaching the old town of Ilogun 
 he heard that the white men crossed through there 
 some years before ; these he believed to be the travellers 
 Clapperton and the Landers. Arriving at Ketu, he 
 lodged with Asai, the Prime Minister, who gave him 
 a warm welcome, shaking him by the hand, and saying : 
 " Crowther, I have at last seen you face to face. 
 I am very glad to see you." Next day he had an 
 interview with the King in a large room, with holes, 
 as in a pigeon house, perforated in the walls, through 
 which his Majesty looked upon his people when they 
 came to plead their wrongs. He was wearing an old 
 pair of red carpet slippers, which had been sent by 
 Crowther by the hand of Captain Trotter years before. 
 Over his cotton patchwork gown he had draped himself 
 with a piece of red damask, and on his regal brow he 
 wore a crown studded with coral beads. Presently 
 all his audience humbly prostrated themselves, crying, 
 " Reverence, reverence." Crowther, however, pre- 
 ferred to remain standing on his feet and dignity, 
 and then the King, after narrowly observing his 
 visitor, his hand shading his eyes, said with cordiality :
 
 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 115 
 
 " Crowther, friend, long known by mutual under- 
 standing only, here at last we see each other." He 
 then politely spread a handkerchief for Crowther to 
 sit on by his side, drew attention to his old sUppers 
 with graceful remembrance, saying : " This is your 
 doing. I have heard of you for a long time, and had 
 almost despaired of seeing you." 
 
 After a long talk about nothing particular, Crowther 
 held his Bible in his hand and showed it to the in- 
 quisitive King, telling him that this was the book 
 which God had sent down from heaven to mankind 
 to teach us His mind and will, that this book had been 
 received by hundreds of heathen, who are now walking 
 according to its instruction and doctrine. Also how 
 God had been pleased to send this book to this country, 
 to him and his people, that he, Crowther, was a 
 preacher of that word, and as he had now come on 
 a visit, he proposed its reception by both King and 
 people. The King was evidently really touched, and 
 repHed with quiet dignity : " Hitherto I have had 
 no helper ; now I have found one, I will hold it fast." 
 
 The next day being Sunday, Crowther read a few 
 prayers and the Litany, and preached in the morning 
 from St. Paul's sermon at Athens, and in the evening 
 on the parable of the Prodigal Son. Next day the 
 gratified monarch told him to walk round the town 
 and select a spot for building mission premises. In 
 exchange for these courtesies Crowther presented him 
 with a beautiful silk patchwork quilt, made by a lady 
 in England, and two silk and velvet caps decorated 
 with feathers and flowers. The King of Ketu was
 
 ii6 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 
 
 simply captivated. For a time he could find no words, 
 and when Crowther put on the quilt and exhibited 
 its rainbow tints in the sunshine, his Majesty clapped 
 his hands with delight : 
 
 " Ketu is entirely left open to you ; do whatsoever 
 you like in it, and bring whomever you think proper. 
 We will receive them with both hands." 
 
 On leaving the town a number of natives came to 
 Crowther and begged for more words about the 
 subject of his preaching. He inquired what religion 
 they professed in their country, and they said : 
 " Heathenism and Mohammedanism, mostly heathen- 
 ism." 
 
 I told them I was a Christian. I showed them my Bible, 
 and said this was the best of books, which God would have 
 every nation to receive and hold. I asked whether the wor- 
 shippers of thunder and lightning ever grumble with the 
 worshippers of the god of palm nuts, whether the worshippers 
 of their numberless gods do not live in peace with each other, 
 though they worship different deities. They said : " Certainly 
 they do not trouble each other, but each one worships what 
 he thinks good for him." 
 
 I then told them that when Christianity should be intro- 
 duced into their country the same tolerance ought to be 
 observed as in other countries. 
 
 On his return he found that for the present his work 
 at Abeokuta was to be suspended, and he must take 
 to exploring again. 
 
 Another expedition up the Niger had been arranged, 
 thanks to the public spirit and enterprise of Mr. 
 Macgregor Laird, who had been long identified with 
 the commercial developments of Western Africa. 
 It was proposed to send a single vessel up the river
 
 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 117 
 
 Nun and the Niger to the Confluence, and then ex- 
 plore the Tshadda as far as possible. Dr. J. Baikie 
 was invited to accompany it for the purpose of making 
 fresh observations and notes of geographical value. 
 Mr. Laird made an offer to the Church Missionary- 
 Society of a free passage for Crowther, which was 
 gladly accepted. This voyage was, unlike the previous 
 one, a complete success ; the explorers were able 
 to penetrate two hundred and fifty miles beyond 
 the limit of any other explorations, and it was con- 
 spicuously fortunate in preserving a clean bill of 
 health, returning without the loss of a single man. 
 Of this very interesting journey Crowther kept again 
 an admirable journal ; his habit of indefatigable 
 industry and careful observation of every important 
 detail makes such a record bright and instructive 
 reading. On this expedition he brought to bear 
 the advantage of his later study and training. He had 
 developed very much during these last ten years, 
 and his visits to England had enriched his mind. 
 These words of his are valuable in themselves as 
 conveying information about the country and people 
 which at that time was specially useful, but they 
 have also a peculiar interest as revealing very much 
 the practical turn of the writer's impression of things. 
 They are absolutely devoid of that introspective 
 faculty which is so common to many diarists; these 
 deal with facts alone, describing in clear, vivid language 
 incidents; we seem to see it all through Crowther's 
 eyes, rather than being permitted to look down into 
 Crowther's heart. And beneath and behind all these
 
 ii8 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 
 
 notes of things seen and heard, there is the true 
 missionary spirit, watching for every opportunity 
 of bringing the Gospel to these far and isolated regions 
 where heathenism reigns supreme. It is easy to 
 imagine the " good-byes " at the gates of Abeokuta, 
 the journey down to Lagos, in which he tells us, 
 with his practical instinct : 
 
 I took about seven hundredweight of clean cotton down 
 with me to be shipped to Manchester. 
 
 Reaching Fernando Po he waited for the arrival 
 of the Pleiad, the exploring vessel, and while staying 
 on shore he makes a reference to one who, as British 
 Consul and as an intrepid explorer, had been of great 
 service to West Africa. 
 
 The people were very glad to see me, and expressed their 
 regret for the loss of Mr. Beecroft, for he had made full pre- 
 paration for the expedition and had engaged many intelligent 
 natives who had been used to go up the Niger with him, and 
 who were ready to go anywhere with him, they being mutually 
 attached to each other, for he treated them as a father. It 
 will be a long time before his place can be supplied by another 
 who will take the same interest in the country and her people 
 as he did. 
 
 After breakfast visited Mr. Beecroft's grave, which is on 
 the point of the cliff of Clarence under a large cotton tree, 
 where he himself had directed he should be buried. Thus 
 ended the life of this useful person, after twenty-five years' 
 stay in Africa, during which period he had won the affection 
 of many who knew his worth in the countries he had visited, 
 and could not but greatly regret to hear of his removal by 
 death. The chiefs of Abeokuta had sent salutations and 
 messages to him by me, which he did not live to receive. As 
 long as this generation lasts the name of Mr. Beecroft will not 
 be forgotten in this part of Africa.
 
 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 119 
 
 The voyage began with a few mishaps, a breakdown 
 in the machinery, a rather awkward crossing of the 
 bar outside the Nun river, and a mistake in choosing 
 the channel, through which they ran ashore on Sunday 
 Island. Nobody on board, however, seems to have 
 been the least disconcerted by these vicissitudes, 
 and we found Crowther conducting Divine Service 
 with all hands on deck, preaching from the text : 
 " Then said they unto him. Who art thou ? that we 
 may give an answer to them that sent us. What 
 say est thou of thyself ? " A number of canoes 
 presently came alongside, asking significantly, " Are 
 you slave ship or oil ship ? " to which they were 
 able to give a satisfactory reply. In a few hours they 
 got away, and Crowther, watching the banks of the 
 great river, began to make notes of the changes which 
 had taken place since his last visit. There was little 
 enough trace of the hand of civilization then. 
 
 Soon after we had cleared Sunday Island traces of cultiva- 
 tion began to appear, together with land about three feet 
 above the water's edge. As the water has not yet risen to its 
 full height, it gave an entirely new appearance to the river 
 from that it bore in August, 1841. At that time only a few 
 spots near the water's edge were under cultivation, and the 
 whole was covered with water, as the river overflowed its 
 banks. Not only old plantations showed a continual industry 
 of the people of the Delta, but many newly-cleared spots in 
 the midst of which numerous lofty palm trees stood, which 
 were carefully preserved for their rich and valuable produce, 
 showed further the improved state of the banks. About three 
 hours from Sunday Island we came to inhabited villages ; we 
 induced two canoes to come off, from whom we learnt that 
 the people between Brass and Aboh are called Uru. One of 
 the people who came off, and who spoke the Ibo language, was 
 so confident that he offered to go with us to Aboh ; and the
 
 120 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 
 
 people on shore never showed the least sign of opposition, 
 but folded their arms and gazed at the steamer as she glided 
 on. 
 
 Fewer traces of cultivation were observed during the 
 day till we came to the village of Angiama. Brass people 
 came up here to buy palm oil, with large casks in their canoes, 
 some of which they land as they proceed upwards. There is 
 another striking change in the habits of the people them- 
 selves. In 1 841 very few of them were to be found with any 
 decent articles of clothing. I spied to-day, among a group of 
 about forty people, fifteen who I could distinctly see had 
 English shirts on. This is an evident mark of the advantage 
 of legal trade over that of men. The chief of Angiama, or 
 Any a, came off and expressed his regret that we did not wait 
 at his village as Captain Trotter did, and it was with some 
 difficulty we could satisfy him by our excuses, but we hoped 
 to be able to stay on our return. Dr. Baikie gave him a red 
 cap and a looking-glass ; but I could read in the countenance 
 as well as by the temper one of his men manifested that if they 
 had had it in their power they would have detained us in Oru, 
 to reap all the benefits of the trade to themselves instead of 
 allowing it to pass through their waters to the people of the 
 interior beyond them. 
 
 At the commencement of the voyage Crowther 
 made the suggestion, to which reference has already 
 been made, that the fuel should be kept in atten- 
 dant canoes, and not in the ship's hold, which, no 
 doubt, saved the expedition from fever. 
 
 When they reached Aboh (formerly written as 
 Ibo) they were sorry to hear that the old King Obi 
 was dead. He had for years waited for the English 
 vessels which never came, and now a weak son named 
 Tshukiima reigned in his stead. But they found the 
 Aje, a younger and more energetic man, was the real 
 governing power. He was absent when the Pleiad 
 cast anchor, but we have a striking sketch of the 
 weak and elder brother from Crowther's pen :
 
 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 121 
 
 July 22. Took an early breakfast, and about eight a.m. we 
 started for the town of Aboh, which lies about one mile in 
 length along the western bank of the creek, very thickly 
 populated. We landed close to Tshukuma House, which is 
 very small and confined, his old house having been lately 
 burnt. He had been worshipping his god that morning, which 
 we saw on his piazza in a calabash placed in front of the wall, 
 covered with a white sheet. We waited about ten minutes 
 before Tshukuma made his appearance, dressed in a pair of 
 thin Turkish trousers, a white shirt, a white waistcoat, and a 
 string of coral beads about his neck ; he is smaller in size and 
 stature than Obi, his father, is very soft in his manners, and 
 seems not possessed of much energy. He shook us all heartily 
 by the hand, and in a short time the little square was crowded 
 to excess, so that there was no room to move, and the place 
 became so thronged that it was difficult to keep one's seat 
 on the mat spread for our accommodation. Tshukuma used 
 all his efforts to command silence, but to no purpose. Obi's 
 daughter and the chief's wives took their turn to command 
 silence, but it only increased the noise. At last Tshukuma 
 requested us to frighten the people away, which, of course, we 
 did not do. As it was impossible to obtain perfect silence, 
 I suggested to Dr. Baikie to begin business, as we could manage 
 to keep close enough to hear each other. 
 
 The substance of Mr. Baikie's interview with the chief was 
 that the Queen had desired him to visit them and see how 
 they did, that we were sorry to hear of Obi's death — we hoped 
 his successor would be of the same mind as the late king — 
 and that they still adhered to the treaty he had signed with 
 Captain Trotter, who acted in the name of the Queen ; and 
 that trade was now come to the Aboh country, about which 
 Dr. Hutchinson would speak fully with him. 
 
 Tshukuma replied that he was very glad to see a large ship 
 come to Aboh again, and that he and the other headmen were 
 particularly charged by Obi before his death not to deviate 
 from the path he had trod respecting his friendship with the 
 white men, and that they would act accordingly ; but as Aje 
 was absent from home in Igara with a great number of head- 
 men, to settle some matter in that place, he expressed a wish 
 that we should wait till he returned, as he expected them in 
 three or four days' time, and he would send a slave to hasten 
 their return. ... I now thought it time to introduce the sub- 
 ject of a missionary establishment among them. I told him
 
 122 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 
 
 that we had come to see what we could do to make a mission- 
 ary station at Aboh, as we had done in my country at Badagry, 
 Lagos, and Abeokuta, and had been done also at Calabar and 
 the Camaroons. 
 
 One of Obi's daughters replied that they could not conceive 
 why white men should build houses in Bonny and Calabar, 
 and not in Aboh. 
 
 I told them our superiors had been thinking of it a long 
 time, but now they were in earnest, and we were very desirous 
 of sending some Ibo teachers to Aboh, to reside there and 
 teach them many things if they are willing to learn. Tshu- 
 kuma said my words were too good for them to hope that 
 they will be realized, and that he would not believe anything 
 until he had seen us do what we proposed ; that there was no 
 difi&culty on their part, nor need we fear any unwillingness to 
 receive those who may be sent to them or learn what they may 
 be taught, but that the fault rests with us in not fulfilling 
 what we had promised to do. 
 
 This interview shows how keen these people were 
 for teaching, and how disappointed they felt because 
 in times past the white man had not kept his word 
 with them. In this case a little irritation existed 
 in consequence of tribal jealousies and fightings 
 among themselves ; indeed the absence of the younger 
 and more energetic brother from this palaver was due 
 to settlement of a quarrel. But the tact of the white 
 man did excellent service. A visit on board the ship 
 by the chief, his wife, the head wife of Aje, and three 
 of Obi's daughters, with luncheon in the saloon, 
 had a wonderfully soothing effect, and after Dr. 
 Baikie had given these sable dames some ghttering 
 presents, the whole party returned home highly 
 gratified. The day following Crowther went ashore 
 to pay a visit to the chief, to get an opportunity of 
 talking to him on religious subjects, and introducing 
 such Christian doctrine as might be profitable.
 
 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 123 
 
 The quickness with which he caught my explanation of the 
 all-sufficient sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, for the 
 sin of the world was gratifying. I endeavoured to illustrate 
 it to him in this simple way. " What would you think of any 
 persons who in broad daylight like this should light their 
 lamps to assist the brilliant rays of the sun to enable them 
 to see better ? " He said : "It would be useless ; they would 
 be fools to do so." I replied : " Just so." That the sacrifice 
 of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was sufficient to take away 
 our sins, just as one sun is sufficient to give light to the whole 
 world ; that the worship of country fashions and numerous 
 sacrifices which shone like lamps, only on account of the dark- 
 ness of their ignorance and superstition, though repeated again 
 and again, yet cannot take away our sins ; but that the 
 sacrifice of Jesus Christ, once offered, alone can take away the 
 sin of the world. He frequently repeated the names " Oparra 
 Tshuku ! Oparra Tshuku ! Son of God ! Son of God ! " 
 
 As I did not wish to tire him out I left my discourse fresh 
 in his mind. The attention of his attendants, with the excep- 
 tion of a few, was too much engaged in begging and receiving 
 presents to listen to all I was talking about. I gave to Tshu- 
 kuma a Yoruba primer in which I wrote his name, and left 
 some with Simon Jonas to teach the children or any who 
 should feel disposed to learn the alphabet and words of two 
 letters. 
 
 They were now approaching the Confluence, and 
 Crowther records in his journal how on the right 
 bank of the Niger, from opposite Adamugu, there 
 is scarcely a village to be seen, while on the left-hand 
 bank there are new and extensive towns, which had 
 no existence on his previous visit in 1841. This is 
 accounted for by the warlike raid of Dasaba, who had 
 swept down with his warriors to avenge the death of 
 Mr. Carr, the Atta of Mgara having urged him to 
 punish the people of the Delta who had, without 
 reason, killed a white man coming to establish trade 
 with the upper country. About a hundred towns
 
 124 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 
 
 and villages were destroyed. As some of the ex- 
 ploring party wished to make sketches and observa- 
 tions from the top of Momit Patteh, they started 
 from the ship early in the morning of 5 August in 
 high spirits, and full of expectations. 
 
 Mr. May wished to sketch from that elevation of about 
 twelve hundred feet the juncture of the Kowara and the 
 Tshadda, but owing to the desolated state of the country the 
 valley was so overgrown with wood and high grass as to be 
 impenetrable, except where we came upon the track of ele- 
 phants, now the undisturbed possessors of these once thickly 
 populated districts. As we could not go on because of the 
 thick grass and swamps, we returned to the boat and pulled 
 further up till we came to a landing-place, where a small 
 canoe was seen under the trees, belonging to a little village 
 of eight or ten huts, a scanty remnant of the once secure 
 villages of Mount Patteh. This village is built on the first 
 cove, about a third part of the way up Mount Patteh, where 
 very old persons only were living. We asked them the way 
 to the Mount, but they told us there was no way thither at 
 this time, as Dasaba had driven or carried all the inhabitants 
 away. The sight of these villages was truly pitiable. They 
 pointed to the site of the model farm below, which is now 
 covered with trees and grass, and asked if we were coming to 
 rebuild it. I told them it might be taken up again in due 
 time. They entertained us according to their means, with 
 country beer and clear, cool water, which they fetched from 
 the side of Mount Patteh. We promised to give them some 
 presents if any of them would come on board, and then we 
 returned to the ship about 10 a.m. 
 
 Ama-Abokko, the chief, had come early on board, and 
 Captain Taylor had been talking with him about trading 
 affairs till our return. Dr. Baikie called him into the saloon 
 and gave him some presents from Government, with which 
 he was much pleased. We tried to get him to forward letters 
 to the coast for us by way of Ilorin, Ijaye, Ibadan, and Abeo- 
 kuta, but he made so many excuses that I saw he was evi- 
 dently afraid to do it, though he did not like to say so, for fear 
 of committing himself, because people might accuse him of 
 sending a bad book or charm through Ilorin, as Dasaba, their
 
 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 125 
 
 common enemy, has taken refuge there, and lie did not 
 sufficiently know us or our footing on the coast. We re- 
 minded him of the person he promised to send with us, and 
 told him also that we would pay some of his canoe men if he 
 would let us have some, to which he consented and raised our 
 expectation as to his readiness. Ama-Abokko styled himself 
 the king of this part of the country, and I tried to ascertain 
 whether he was independent of the Atta, but could receive 
 no satisfactory reply to my question. I dare say he did not 
 like to tell us. That we might see more of the town and 
 collect information we went after lunch to Igbegbe, each one 
 in a different direction except that Mr. Richards and myself 
 walked together. Ivory was shown us, as well as trona (salt 
 packed up in grass bags from the coast), horses, and two 
 slaves. I offered to purchase one of the owners herself instead 
 of the slaves, but she shuddered a little at the idea. I left 
 her to infer from that the propriety of dealing in our fellow- 
 men. Some slaves were in a canoe alongside the ship to-day. 
 It is not to be wondered at that many slaves are to be seen 
 about at this time, for many unfortunate persons who have 
 suffered in the war between Dasaba and his brother, and such 
 as have fallen a prey to the Filatas at the destruction of 
 Panda, are now scattered about the country in all directions 
 by their captors. Fortunately they must remain in the 
 country, as there is no place known in the Bight of Biafra for 
 exportation of slaves, the only foreign slave markets being 
 Whydah and Porto Novo, in the Bight of Benin. 
 
 Sunday, August 6. Had service on board at half-past ten ; 
 preached from 2 Timothy i. 7 on the former part of the text, 
 " God has not given us the spirit of fear," and applied it to 
 individual members of Christ's Church ; but I preached in 
 much weakness. May the Spirit of God carry His Word home 
 to the heart and conscience of those who heard it ! 
 
 As regards Mr. Carr, already mentioned as having 
 met with his death on the Niger, Crowther adds a 
 footnote from Mr. Schon, that this Enghshman was 
 one of the expedition of 1841, and having been in- 
 valided at Fernando Po, he wished to return to the 
 Confluence on his recovery. He set out in a canoe with 
 some natives, but was never heard of again, and the
 
 126 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 
 
 probability is that he was murdered for the sake of 
 plunder. Some articles of his clothing were after- 
 wards found, and for a time suspicion rested upon the 
 old chief Obi. Mr. Carr was originally intended to 
 superintend the model farm at the Confluence, and 
 while he remained there did good work. 
 
 At every point of their journey up the Tshadda 
 inquiries were made of the natives whether they had 
 seen a white man. Dr. Barth, about whom some 
 sinister rumours were common in England that he 
 had lost his life also. The quest of this eminent 
 traveller, to whose valuable works on West Africa 
 we are so much indebted, was one of the reasons for 
 this expedition being promoted. At one time hopes 
 were aroused by information that two white men 
 were not far off in a town called Ksana, four days' 
 journey north. Crowther and his party hurried 
 forward, and met with a native of the place, who 
 said that the white men had been there a month 
 ago, and on being shown the portraits in the frontis- 
 piece of Petermann's Atlas of Central Africa, pointed 
 to that of Dr. Barth and then to the picture of Vogel 
 as his companion. This messenger was dispatched 
 in hot haste with a letter in his hand to Dr. Barth, 
 written by Dr. Baikie, and the greatest excitement 
 was felt in expectation of his reply. This, however, 
 never came. Whether the man was misinformed, 
 or for the sake of possible gifts had misled the in- 
 quirers, never transpired. As a matter of fact. Dr. 
 Barth was at this time at a considerable distance in 
 the interior, and happily returned to Europe some 
 time afterwards. Some characteristics of the native
 
 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 127 
 
 mind are revealed in the following extract, in which 
 Crowther pictures the easygoing life on tlie Niger, 
 the fear everywhere of being attacked either by gods 
 or men, and also the innate love of those presents 
 which count for so much in transactions with Euro- 
 peans. 
 
 The wants of the people are so few that they are content 
 to sit down the whole day smoking their pipes, instead of 
 going to cut wood to sell, although they are very desirous of 
 getting many things by begging. 
 
 Sunday, August 27. Had service at half-past ten as usual, 
 and read the third part of the nineteenth Homily on Prayer. 
 Having been informed that the people were running away 
 from the village of Ojogo, we went on shore after service to 
 ascertain the cause and quiet their fears. During two pre- 
 vious nights Dr. Baikie and Mr. May had been on shore to 
 take lunar observations, and of course had lights with them. 
 The bull's-eye lamp seems to have made them afraid. The 
 chief was previously apprehensive of something when he saw 
 Mr. May measuring the beach, and thought that he did this 
 because the white man had it in mind to take his country 
 from him. When we got on shore we desired an interview 
 with him. His heart was throbbing with fear, but I tried to 
 explain to him how, from ignorance of the depth of the river, 
 our ship was grounded very near his village, where we re- 
 mained a part of two days ; that Mr. May's measuring the 
 beach was to ascertain the breadth of the river and how much 
 it has risen since we have been here ; that their looking at 
 the moon and stars in the night was to ascertain how far we 
 were from our own country ; that he himself must have taken 
 notice that the moon does not remain stationary, but rises 
 higher every day, so by looldng at either the moon or stars 
 we also know how far we are from home ; that God has com- 
 manded us to do good to all men and never to do evil, for if 
 we do them harm God will not be pleased with us. 
 
 With this explanation both he and his people appeared 
 satisfied. I asked him if there were anything of which he 
 wanted further explanation, as we were ready to give it. He 
 replied that he had nothing more to ask but for some red 
 velvet, a stool, and a basin.
 
 128 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 
 
 When Crowther arrived at Ijogo he found the people 
 very shy of coming to the Pleiad for the purpose of 
 trade. This he beUeved was owing to the false 
 reports which had reached them, and also because the 
 slaves were still sold in the neighbourhood. In the 
 meantime he was doing his best to acquire a know- 
 ledge of the Doma or Arago language, although the 
 natives whom they had taken on board at the last 
 stopping-place made but sorry teachers. He speaks 
 of his difficulties in this respect in dealing with men 
 who refused to sit still for long together or give any 
 steady attention to the questions put to them. And 
 yet Crowther had to manage them very carefully, 
 lest they should lose their temper, and perhaps give 
 him the wrong word for his pains. Some men from 
 the interior came down to the shore, among them 
 being a poor fellow named Asaba, from Rogankoto, 
 one of whose legs had been bitten off by a crocodile ; 
 but the wound had since healed, and it was pitiable 
 to see the man hobbling about with the aid of a long 
 stout stick. As soon as the two doctors on board 
 noticed the poor feUow they set about to find some 
 way of improving his locomotion, and with the assist- 
 ance of Mr. Guthrie, the chief engineer, a wooden leg 
 was made. At the prospect of such kindness the 
 man hobbled back to his town to tell the people the 
 marvellous news that the white men were going to 
 give him a new foot. A large crowd returned with 
 him, and amid their wondering plaudits Mr. Guthrie 
 fixed on the wooden leg, and the man was proud 
 enough of his new limb, as might be imagined.
 
 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 129 
 
 When they had pushed on to Abitsi, they found a 
 safe anchorage nearly opposite Mount Ethiope. Here 
 Crowther made careful notes of the geographical 
 situation, the easy navigation in consequence of the 
 absence of those islands which had hitherto been such 
 peril to them, the picturesque scenery and high banks, 
 and that the appearance of the river-side exceeded 
 in beauty the group of mountains they had seen be- 
 tween Idda and the Confluence of the Tshadda and 
 Kowarra. Here the high hiUs are quite close to the 
 water's edge ; in some cases when the river rises it 
 runs just under the overhanging mountains, as when 
 it makes its way between Mount Herbert on the right 
 and Mount Adams on the left. Small farms and 
 fishing villages are seen on either hand, and they 
 passed a little group of huts where the people were 
 busy making pottery. After a time, making headway 
 against a very strong current, they reached more open 
 country ; for miles not a creature or village was to 
 be discerned on the flat land. At last they reached 
 a fishing hut, but no one was in it. Suddenly they 
 met a fresh tribe of natives, whose fear and hostility 
 were disarmed by the confidence the visitors showed. 
 Crowther tells us : 
 
 At four o'clock we spied a group of houses at a great dis- 
 tance before us. This was something deUghtful, and about 
 5 p.m. we anchored off the villages of Gandiko, whose chief 
 was Ama, and Gaukera, whose chief was Garike. Before the 
 ship came to an anchor, intelligence had reached the chiefs 
 of the villages, and all hands were up in arms. Their weapons 
 were bows and arrows, and some men also carried three or 
 four of the latter, poisoned. Our boat was ready for us, and 
 we pulled toward shore in search of the landing-place. There 
 
 K
 
 130 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 
 
 were some plantations of maize and guinea corn along the 
 water's edge, and some of the farmers were near ; three 
 women stood very close to the bank with seeming confidence. 
 We addressed them in Hausa, to which they replied, and 
 asked them for the landing-place, but they gave us no satis- 
 factory reply. A little way higher up we saw a man on the 
 bank, who drove the women away. We addressed him in 
 Hausa, and he replied. We told him we were from the white 
 man's country and wanted to see the chief. As soon as he 
 saw the Europeans he cried out lustily in Hausa : " Bature 
 Anasara maidukia na gode allah ! " (" White men, the Naza- 
 renes, men of property, I thank God ! ") many times over. 
 He took the lead through old cultivated grounds, but over- 
 grown with grass and bushes, through which we had to beat 
 our way to the footpath leading to the town. Our leader, 
 either from excitement or intoxication, became louder and 
 louder in his cry : " Bature Anasara maidukia na gode allah ! " 
 We soon came to a juncture of two paths and where the 
 Galadima, a war chief of the first rank, with a small party of 
 about twenty -four men. armed with bows and arrows and 
 spears, were stationed, and our leader, with his boisterous 
 cry, introduced us to them as men of peace and trade. In the 
 meantime we were lost in the midst of the soldiers ; Dr. Baikie 
 was in one direction, Dr. Hutchinson in another, and Mr. May 
 in the midst of the soldiers. 
 
 We had not a single weapon about us, offensive or defen- 
 sive, but the confidence with which we went among such an 
 armed party was enough to prevent their doing any mischief. 
 During our whole progress the few instances where hostility 
 was shown arose out of nothing else but want of mutual 
 understanding. On the present occasion, as soon as we came 
 together, we shook hands with the Galadima, and he led us 
 to the town. The path was full of soldiers coming out to join 
 the Galadima, but seeing him return with us they all fell back 
 on both sides of the path which brought us to the entrance to 
 the town. The place was fortified with a wooden fence and 
 a ditch around it, and in the midst of the town and under a 
 kind of fig or banian tree, planted for the sake of its shade, 
 we met the chief Ama, also armed with a bow and arrows, as 
 were about two hundred men with him. We were introduced 
 to him by the Galadima, and after shaking hands conversed 
 briefly with him respecting our visit to the country. He 
 appeared quite satisfied, and requested us to return to the
 
 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 131 
 
 ship and wait till to-morrow before'entering into particulars 
 of the object of our journey. 
 
 After this experience Crowther makes some re- 
 flections upon the common report of the hostihty of 
 the natives of Africa towards Europeans. He points 
 out that they are always in such a state of alarm by 
 reason of the tribal and marauding wars, that any 
 stranger coming makes them fly to arms. He thinks 
 that European explorers often overlook the fact 
 that the natives are in constant fear of the treachery 
 of their enemies. This makes them carry their 
 weapons, to be in readiness for any attack. 
 
 Though travellers fear nothing themselves (he says) yet 
 they should endeavour to take due precautions to allay the 
 fears of those whom they intend to visit, by previous com- 
 munication, which will soon be circulated in the neighbour- 
 hood, and then all will be right. A prudent man will not 
 consider an hour or two wasted to effect this purpose, rather 
 than risk the painful result of misunderstandings which may 
 never be remedied. As far as I know, there is no place in 
 Africa, uncontaminated with European slave dealers, which 
 Europeans have visited with the intention of doing good, 
 where such an event has not been hailed as the most auspicious 
 in the annals of the country. Every chief considers himself 
 highly honoured to have white men for his friends. 
 
 This good advice, from one so eminently fitted to 
 give it, will never be out of date. Their visit to 
 Zhibu brought them in contact with a wary chief, who 
 so little understood the character of his visitors that 
 he called the interpreter aside to tell him he had a little 
 boy to sell, and asked him to buy him. He was soon 
 undeceived, and eventually brought ivory and maize 
 to the ship for trading. Here Crowther noticed that
 
 132 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 
 
 as the men were so much engaged in marauding 
 expeditions, the infirm male and female slaves tilled 
 the ground. No fruits were cultivated or eatables 
 hawked about the streets by girls and women, or 
 refreshment places arranged for the sale of food ; 
 in short, it was the only town without a market they 
 had met with on their journey. One night while 
 anchored off this point the expedition had a narrow 
 escape. They had some sheep as weU as wood in 
 the canoe attached to the ship, and while Dr. Baikie 
 and Mr. May were standing on shore with their 
 instruments, taking observations of a star's altitude, 
 a low growl was heard, and a leopard, no doubt 
 attracted by the smell of the sheep, made its appear- 
 ance. Some fowling pieces were fired off, and this 
 unusual sound no doubt frightened the creature 
 away ; but it was perilously near the two scientific 
 observers. 
 
 Their need of constant replenishing of their fuel 
 was a great inconvenience, and sometimes without 
 steam they were helpless to proceed or even keep 
 their position without careful anchorage. At one 
 point the current was running three knots an hour 
 against them ; at another time they were involved 
 in a submerged herd of hippopotami ; again they 
 found themselves in a gorge where the Tshadda 
 became extremely narrow, the depth not less than 
 five fathoms, and the whole volume of the Binue 
 having to rush through. Here they had to set up 
 two sails to help them, and soon afterwards reaching 
 the broad bed of the river, they found nothing but
 
 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 133 
 
 green and useless wood growing in the soft and swampy 
 marshes. 
 
 As there was no alternative, a look-out was kept to capture 
 the trees floating down the stream, and two were secured 
 before breakfast, the chase affording us no little amusement. 
 About ten another was chased and captured, so large that it 
 pulled the boat a considerable way down the river, but it was 
 secured and greatly added to our little stock to enable us to 
 get to Tshomo. In the meantime Imoru, the mallam of Zhiru, 
 came on board with the leg of a buffalo killed last night for 
 a present to Dr. Baikie. The doctor would have bought the 
 head, but the superstition of the people was so strong against 
 selling it that they begged him not to be vexed at their deny- 
 ing him that request ; nor could they be persuaded to sell 
 the skulls of hippopotami which were piled up before the 
 fetish in the town of Zhiru, I asked the mallam whether the 
 people are willing to embrace Mohammedanism. He said they 
 were not. Imoru very earnestly told Alihebi to ask me if I 
 would pray for his wives, as they had no children. I at once 
 called for my Bible and read Psalm cxxvii., which I tried to 
 explain to him, and showed him my arms and neck to prove 
 that we never used charms for any purpose, telling him that 
 we resign all our affairs to the hand of God, who knows better 
 what is good for us. He was quite satisfied with my explana- 
 tion, though he felt disappointed of his hopes. 
 
 Crowther had a great desire to visit Mohumma, 
 the King of Hamaruwa, to whom indeed he had 
 already sent a message saying that he was coming. 
 This man was of some influence, and held a sort of 
 independent position under the Sultan of Sokoto. 
 One evening from the masthead of the Pleiad they 
 could see this town at the foot of the chain of the 
 Muri Mountains, and when they arrived at Little 
 Isumo they met with a native trader named Ibrahim, 
 who became very friendly. This man promised to be 
 their guide. They landed at Tshomo, where the people
 
 134 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 
 
 were, in the opinion of Crowther, the most degraded he 
 had met with since leaving the Bubis of the island of 
 Fernando Po. Destitute of clothing and very dirty, 
 the men getting a livelihood by killing hippopotami, 
 the women carrying their children on their backs 
 with the hands of the infants under their arms, by 
 which they were held fast, Ibrahim explained that 
 it was not their fashion to wear clothes. Crowther, 
 of course, made inquiry for their chief, and was 
 referred to an old grey-bearded man, standing under 
 a tree by the water-side, with a dirty cloth about his 
 waist. This, they told him, was the Sariki of Tshomo. 
 In some cases they found a difficulty with their 
 Krumen, who did not relish the hardships and risks 
 of the expedition. Crowther gives us an instance of 
 this in relating his experiences on his way to Hamaruwa, 
 when he was undoubtedly led astray by his guide; 
 not Ibrahim, but an improvised leader who did not 
 certainly inspire much confidence. A word picture 
 of travellers' troubles ! 
 
 The creek which divides Tshomo had not enough water for 
 our boat, so we had to pull through the flooded cornfields to 
 get into the main creek ; but as the whole was overgrown 
 with grass and corn-stocks Ibrahim was obhged to get one of 
 the canoe-men to take the lead. Our Krumen did not like 
 either the appearance of our guide or the passage he was 
 leading us through. As a fisher and hunter of hippopotami 
 he had with him five or six harpoons or spears, and pulled 
 through the grass with his narrow canoe like a snake, while 
 the grass was so tliick that we could not see him ahead of us 
 nor perceive the track of his canoe. However, we followed in 
 his direction till we met him under a tree, where he waited for 
 us. We had here to stoop beneath the low branches, but a 
 short distance brought us to the main creek. The bank being
 
 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 135 
 
 only partially covered with water, the men jumped out and 
 carried the boat across, and our pilot then left us to ourselves. 
 I called the attention of Friday, the head Kruman, to mark 
 the direction of the tree that they might not miss the way on 
 their return ; but Captain Friday and his crew did not seem 
 to relish the idea of returning alone among these rude and 
 apparently ferocious people. We followed the creek, thinking 
 we should soon come to the landing-place, but, contrary to 
 our expectation, we did not land till one o'clock p.m., four 
 hours after leaving the ship, our progress having been down 
 with the stream since we came into the creek, which runs 
 parallel with the river. From all the inquiries we had made 
 Hamaruwa did not appear to be more than six or seven miles 
 from the river, and, considering the distance we had made 
 down the creek, I thought we must have been at least three 
 or four miles nearer than if we had landed immediately on 
 the bank of the main river. It seemed to me that if the 
 Krumen had to return with the boat against the stream in 
 the circuitous creek they would not get to the ship before 
 dark ; and under the impression that an hour or an hour and 
 a half would bring us to Hamaruwa, and we might be back 
 by five and return to the ship together, especially as there was 
 no other conveyance for us except the miserable patched 
 canoes, used to fetch corn from the plantations, I ordered the 
 boat to be pulled up, and, leaving it and all belonging to it 
 to the care of the headman of the village of Wuza, we started 
 for Hamaruwa. An hour's walk brought us within sight of 
 the first farm village, which I at first took to be the capital 
 or its suburbs, but I was mistaken, and was told the town 
 was yet before us. Another hour brought us to a second farm 
 village, and our way led almost direct west towards the fur- 
 thest mountains we had left westwards. By the time we had 
 travelled three hours the Krumen, who were as much deceived 
 as ourselves, became very much dissatisfied and expressed 
 regret that they had not returned to the ship instead of going 
 such an unpleasant journey in which they had no interest. 
 Truly it was unpleasant, inasmuch as we were deceived as 
 regards distance, and the road was by no means enviable to 
 walk in. We had not left Wuza half an hour before I was 
 obliged to take off my shoes and roll up the legs of my trousers, 
 as did Mr. Richards, to wade through the continual splash of 
 water and mud we met with more than one third of the 
 way.
 
 136 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 
 
 They reached it in due time, and Crowther gives 
 us a fine description of the town and its people. It 
 was beautifully situated on a hill, from which a grand 
 view of the river and scenery around is obtained, 
 the stretches of light green grass by the water's edge, 
 then the darker green of the tree foHage, and beyond 
 the blue ranges of Fumbina, with the lofty Man- 
 dranu mountain in Adamawa, and the Muri mountain 
 in Hamaruwa near at hand. The houses with their 
 conical roofs and long pubhc street, with luxuriant 
 trees, are characteristic of most African towns. If 
 it had been laid out with any European direction, 
 it would have been a delightful place, for it is built 
 on a rock, and rapidly dries after heavy rains. The 
 people were poor and ill clothed ; very few goats or 
 sheep were seen, and the slaves do all the cultivation 
 of the corn in the lowlands. The travellers received 
 a hearty welcome from the King, and were liberally 
 supphed with food, as the following note will indicate 
 from Crowther's pen : 
 
 The King sent five sheep and lambs with a kid, six in all, 
 and a large pot of plum honey for our entertainment, but 
 unfortunately before the honey was delivered the pot broke 
 and the whole was spilled on the ground, to the great grief of all 
 present. Ibrahim came with much sorrow to tell me of this 
 great misfortune, and I must say I felt the loss myself, be- 
 cause it would have been a very acceptable present to all the 
 ship's company, considering that since the fourth instant we 
 had been out of sugar. Butter and milk had been all con- 
 sumed long before, and a pot of honey would have been an 
 invaluable substitute. But travellers must take things as 
 they come, and be content with such things as they have. 
 
 The Filanis use no lamps in their houses in the evening ; 
 we had therefore to remain outside the house where we were
 
 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 137 
 
 lodged, seated in the dark, as they themselves did, till bed- 
 time, when a few sticks were kindled, which gave out much 
 smoke and little light, to enable us to ascertain the position 
 of our bed, which was rough enough. Before we turned in 
 Ibrahim requested me to take care of my sheep and goat in 
 our room for fear of the wolves, with which the country 
 abounds. I told him it was impossible to admit five sheep and 
 a goat into a room already filled with eleven occupants, and 
 he promised to take care of them until the morning. Ibrahim's 
 yard was full of visitors going and coming, to whom he was 
 relating the wonderful news of the Anasara's ship made of 
 iron and moved by fire. Being tired with our journey, we left 
 them to enjoy the story, and rested ourselves after we had 
 offered a prayer of thanksgiving to God for our protection. 
 
 After some disagreeable experiences on the journey 
 home, which Crowther seems to have taken in a 
 happy and philosophic spirit, they got back to the 
 ship. They arrived on a Sunday morning, and Crow- 
 ther preached from the not inappropriate subject of 
 " the fall and misery of man." 
 
 The river was now sinking rapidly, and it was 
 felt that the prow of the Pleiad should be turned 
 homeward, if a safe return was to be counted on. 
 Dr. Baikie and Mr. May took a boat to go three days 
 further up the river to make additional observations. 
 Crowther confesses to a good deal of fear and heart- 
 searching at leaving these two in such dangers, among 
 an unknown and perhaps hostile people. The Pleiad 
 shot down the stream like a home-coming horse, but 
 next day ran aground, and was detained until loud 
 cheers announced the return of the boat, with its 
 two occupants whom they had left behind. 
 
 Of this return journey Crowther makes many 
 interesting notes, and revisiting the various chiefs,
 
 138 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 
 
 was able to make arrangements for opening mission 
 stations at several points. At Oboh, for instance, 
 he tells us how he fixed upon a spot of land at the 
 entrance to the creek on the bank of the main river 
 for the establishment of mission work, and got the 
 chief Aje to faithfully promise that no one should 
 interfere with this claim. A httle lower down the 
 stream he met with a young chief, Agbekun, who, 
 being childless, had been paying a visit to Ae6, where 
 Tshuku, the great god of the Ibos, resides, to make 
 inquiries of a domestic character. He went through 
 many ceremonies, and performed many sacrifices, 
 and subsequently returned home with a favourable 
 answer communicated to him through the priests. 
 He also brought with him several small representations 
 of the god. When he showed these to Crowther he 
 wanted to know what the Anasara thought of his 
 Tshuku. 
 
 This gave me the opportunity (the journal records) of 
 speaking to him about the true God, to whom I endeavoured 
 to turn his attention to look for blessings both temporal and 
 spiritual. He wanted to know how to pray to the Great God, 
 whom he knew to be greater than Tshuku. I told him to do 
 so just as a little child would ask his father for what he was 
 in need of. Agbekun was very shy in speaking much about 
 the Tshuku of the Ibos, as a great mystery is connected even 
 with the place of his residence. Since this young chief's return 
 he has been going through some ceremonies, and cannot be 
 seen or spoken to much in public till the time allotted to them 
 has expired, which will be in about two days. In consequence 
 of this he did not attend market, but he was told that as we 
 were from the white man's country his ceremony could not 
 be spoiled by his conversation with us. He repUed : " There 
 is no hatred in white man's country as in black man's coun- 
 try." I told him to look at me, a Yoruba by birth, Simon
 
 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 139 
 
 Jonas, an Ibo, and Dr. Baikie, an Englishman ; though of 
 different nations, we Uve together as brethren, and so our God 
 teaches all men to love one another. I expressed my hope 
 that we should soon be able to teach them this love, which 
 he was glad to hear. 
 
 On 6 November the Pleiad crossed the bar, and 
 
 Crowther held Divine Service, expressing the devout 
 
 thanks to God of all those on board for such a good 
 
 and favourable journey, and preached from Joshua iv. 
 
 6, 7. He closes his journal with this note of praise : 
 
 May this singular instance of God's favour and protection 
 drive us nearer to the Throne of Grace, to humble ourselves 
 before our God, whose instruments we are, and who can con- 
 tinue or dispense with our services as it seems good to His 
 unerring wisdom. 
 
 In reviewing the results of this expedition Crowther 
 draws attention to several points, which are very 
 encouraging. One is the remarkable absence of 
 sickness as regards Europeans, and that not a single 
 life has been lost on the voyage. This, in contrast 
 with that of 1841, was satisfactory. He was con- 
 vinced that the time was come for the introduction 
 of Christianity on the banks of the Niger, for the 
 people were evidently willing to receive teachers, 
 and he greatly regretted the loss of time since the 
 ill-fated expedition of 1841 had discouraged any 
 ascent of the river for twelve years. He laid great 
 stress on the importance of utilizing native agency. 
 Let such workers go back to their own countrymen 
 as a renewed people, superior now to others, and whose 
 walk and conversation would do so much to commend 
 Christ and His Gospel in these regions. The con- 
 verted African was a special value in his testimony :
 
 140 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 
 
 It takes great effect when, returning, liberated Christians 
 sit down with their heathen countrymen and speak with con- 
 tempt of their former superstitious practices, of whom, 
 perhaps, many now alive would bear testimony as to their 
 former devotedness to their superstitious worship, all of which 
 he can now tell them he has found to be foolishness and the 
 result of ignorance, when he with all earnestness invites them, 
 as Moses did Hobab, " Come with us, for the Lord hath pro- 
 mised good to Israel," and all this in their own language, with 
 refined Christian feelings and sympathy, not to be expressed 
 in words, but evidenced by an exemplary Christian life. 
 
 From the standpoint of commerce the expedition 
 undoubtedly demonstrated great possibilities. Crow- 
 ther took much personal interest in the encouragement 
 of cotton growing, and the subsequent development 
 of trade in this direction was largely due to his initiative 
 and persistency. A meeting of the friends of Africa 
 was convened shortly after the return of the Pleiad, 
 and it was resolved to urge upon the Government 
 the importance of establishing a regular service of 
 trading steamers between Fernando Po and the 
 Confluence of the Niger and Tshadda rivers. 
 
 Crowther took advantage during this voyage to 
 ascertain the various languages of the tribes, and in 
 a valuable appendix to his journal he gives their 
 vocabularies and a comparison of their grammatical 
 construction. Dr. Baikie, at the conclusion of the 
 voyage, addressed a very kind letter to him, in which 
 he gives the following well-deserved commendation : 
 
 After having been together for upwards of four months, 
 closely engaged in exploring Central Africa, I cannot allow 
 you to depart without expressing to you in the warmest 
 manner the pleasure I derived from your company and ac- 
 knowledging the information I have reaped from you. Your
 
 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 141 
 
 long and intimate acquaintance with native tribes, with your 
 general knowledge of their customs, peculiarly fit you for a 
 journey such as we have now returned from, and I cannot but 
 feel that your advice was always readily granted to me, nor 
 had I ever the smallest reason to repent having followed it. 
 It is nothing more than a simple fact that no slight portion 
 of the success we met with in our intercourse with the tribes 
 is due to you. 
 
 Once more the people of England began to turn 
 their eyes from the strain of worry and weeping 
 over the Crimean War to the West Coast of Africa 
 and to the Niger, that noble river which may be 
 called the Nile of the West. The last expedition 
 had been a very successful one, and all felt, whether 
 they regarded the question from a commercial or 
 missionary standpoint, that this great waterway 
 was the gate to the heart of Africa, and wonderful 
 possibilities had been revealed. Crowther had always 
 a practical mind, and served efficiently the State as 
 well as the Church in his travels. He saw a future 
 trade in palm oil, an almost unlimited reserve hardly 
 touched yet by European requirements, and he fore- 
 saw that this trade would in time eliminate the slave 
 traffic, with its accursed train of evils. 
 
 " The advantage of the increase of palm oil trade," 
 he writes, " over that of the slave is so much felt by 
 the people at large that their head chiefs could not 
 help confessing to me that they — aged persons — 
 never remembered any time of the slave trade in 
 which so much wealth was brought into their country 
 as has been since the commencement of the palm oil 
 trade, the last four years; that they were perfectly
 
 142 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 
 
 satisfied with legitimate trade and with the proceedings 
 of the British Government." 
 
 He saw also that there was a large store of ivory 
 waiting the touch of commerce, and that cotton, 
 as proved by his experiments at Abeokuta, might 
 be cultivated to a very considerable extent, and, 
 adopting the prophet's mantle, he anticipated no reason 
 why the present export of two millions from West 
 Africa " might not quadruple itself in the next twenty 
 years, if it be only protected until it has struck its 
 roots a little deeper in the soil of Africa." He pointed 
 out that up to the present he had touched the coast 
 only, and if by pushing up the Niger he might strike 
 those great caravan routes of the interior, a new world 
 for investment, both in a business and a spiritual 
 sense, would be opened up. Crowther recommended 
 a visit being paid to Kano, that rich province with 
 its large and prosperous town to which Dr. Barth had 
 already drawn attention in his travels. This was 
 the seat of a most valuable cotton cloth industry. 
 These reports, of course, gave hope at home, and the 
 Government of the day were not slow to confer with 
 Mr. Macgregor, the enterprising African merchant, 
 as to what should be done. But an impulse of deeper 
 import was given to the minds of those whose higher 
 aim was to bring the light of the Gospel to Africa. 
 The Church Missionary Society conferred with Mr. 
 Laird, who again offered Crowther a free passage 
 up the Niger, thankfully accepting the opportunity 
 thus given of establishing a Niger Mission, where the 
 services of converted Africans from Sierra Leone and
 
 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 143 
 
 elsewhere might find a useful sphere. They ex- 
 pressed their intentions in a letter to Crowther, 
 which filled him with joy, and he replied thankfully 
 accepting the position, and giving many valuable 
 suggestions in the matter. He freely discussed the 
 commercial side, and says that "the first five years 
 the contract was to last should be the seedtime for 
 introducing Christianity and civilization. When trade 
 and agriculture engage the attention of the people, 
 with the gentle and peaceful teaching of Christianity, 
 the minds of the people will gradually be won from 
 war and marauding expeditions to peaceful trade and 
 commerce." 
 
 Everything seemed favourable, and Crowther had 
 spent some time in conferring with his old friend 
 of bygone days, Bishop Weeks, and the valuable 
 missionaries Messrs. Beale and Frey. It was arranged 
 that a number of native teachers should be sent up 
 the Niger from Sierra Leone. While Crowther was 
 away on his journey it was felt that while he was 
 placing these European missionaries in their new 
 spheres of work, Bishop Weeks, of Sierra Leone, at 
 the base of operations, would be able to support and 
 advise. But once more this African cHmate, with its 
 insatiable toll of human lives, claimed all three as 
 its latest victims. The story of the passing of these 
 good and faithful servants is indeed very pathetic. 
 
 The first to fall was Mr. Beale, a man full of faith 
 and of the Holy Ghost, who was struck with fever 
 while at his post of duty at Lagos. He was such a 
 brave man, and when he found his strength ebbing
 
 144 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 
 
 away towards the eternal sea he summoned all his 
 powers to bring back to God some poor Sierra Leone 
 emigrants, who had fallen away sadly, and brought 
 discredit on their profession. The Bishop reached 
 the harbour of Freetown on the evening of 14 March, 
 and his chaplain hurried on board the ship Candace 
 to find him lying utterly prostrate in his hammock, 
 too weak to move. With loving care they carried 
 him ashore, and laid him in his own quiet bed. Mr. 
 Frey, who had exerted himself to bring the Bishop 
 home, then fell sick, and lay in another room, the 
 two grief-stricken wives, Mrs. Weeks and Mrs. Frey, 
 quietly ministering wdth hearts full of foreboding. 
 On the Sunday afternoon the Bishop's chaplain 
 stepped to his side, and with a sweet smile of recog- 
 nition the sufferer whispered : " Mr. Pocock, if there 
 is a time when Christ is more especially precious, 
 it is when we have death before us. I am very weak. 
 Pray for me." At three in the morning he was with 
 him again, and to the question put by one of the ladies, 
 " Do you find Christ precious now ? " the dying Bishop 
 spent his last breath in slowly spelling out the word, 
 " P-r-e-c-i-o-u-s," and fell asleep in the Divine keeping. 
 A month afterwards his colleague in labour and sick- 
 ness, Mr. Frey, followed him ; his end, too, was peace. 
 Those who watched him during those last days speak 
 of the calm serenity of his mind. The day before 
 his call came he took the Sacrament, and was able 
 to say farewell to his weeping wife and friends, and 
 shortly afterwards crossed the river so quietly that 
 none quite knew the moment when he reached the
 
 UP THE NIGER AGAIN 145 
 
 other shore. The news of all this plunged Crowther 
 into the deepest distress. It was not only that he 
 grieved over the loss as a drawback to the mission 
 which he was on the eve of founding, but he mourned 
 for the departure of those whom he personally loved, 
 especially of Bishop Weeks, to whom he owed so 
 much for kindness and training in boyhood. 
 
 Writing from Fernando Po on 29 May, 1855, he 
 expresses his grief over these troubles : 
 
 The late floods of affliction upon the West African mission 
 are overwhelming. The removal of our good Bishop Weeks, 
 and that of the Rev. Mr. Frey so soon after, both just on 
 their return from their visit to the Bight of Benin and the 
 Gold Coast, calls for prayers to and humiliation before our 
 God, who is the disposer of these painful dispensations. Per- 
 haps we have been sacrificing to the nets and the drag instead 
 of to Him, who has said, " Cast the net on the right side of 
 the ship." May our sins be forgiven and our errors corrected 
 in judgment and not in anger !
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 THE MISSION PLANTED AND FIRSTFRUITS 
 
 THE year of grace one thousand eight hundred 
 and fifty-seven was a memorable one in the 
 annals of our Empire. It is marked in our history 
 with a crimson stain. On the horizon of the Far 
 East was the glare of the Indian Mutiny; across the 
 sad and silent sea were wafted the dying shouts of 
 brave and defenceless men, the shrieks of women 
 in terror, and children's cries of pain. The heart 
 of the nation throbbed with indignation and grief, 
 fed by the stream of tearful tidings which daily 
 reached our shores. But out of the travail of that 
 great sorrow a new India was born, more loyal, better 
 and more wisely governed, and an open door and 
 effectual was given to the missionary with his message 
 of redeeming love. 
 
 When Crowther heard the news he immediately 
 wrote a letter of sympathy from an encampment at 
 Zeba, dated 4 January, 1858 : 
 
 I deeply sympathize with you on account of the sudden 
 mutiny which has risen in India, with the unparalleled bar- 
 barities attending it. The news burst upon us all of a sudden 
 like a dry tempest, which threatened destruction everywhere ; 
 but I believe the Lord will never allow such afflictions to arise 
 
 146
 
 THE MISSION PLANTED 147 
 
 without intending to teach us something thereby ; the wrath 
 of man will praise Him, and the remainder of wrath He will 
 restrain. 
 
 The reputation of the unjust disparagement on the mission- 
 ary work as being the cause of this barbarous mutiny in India 
 will open the eyes of those who opposed the conversion of the 
 Sepoys, to see what advantage it is to any community to have 
 converted natives mingled with it, who are like salt in the 
 midst of a mass of corruption. May it be the fervent prayer 
 of the Church to God to remove this heavy affliction from us 
 and to make known what is her duty to the Sepoys as a Chris- 
 tian nation, as she has been showing to the long-oppressed 
 children of Ham, whose cause she has warmly taken in hand 
 for their liberation not only from the bondage of man, but 
 also from the power of Satan. 
 
 But in other respects the time was fraught with 
 great issues. Lord Elgin, with his fleet, was breaking 
 down the barriers which shut in the mighty Chinese 
 Empire from Western contact, and Japan, the youngest 
 child of the nations of the world, had also yielded to 
 the kindly pressure of Commodore Perry, and was 
 thereby taking the first step on her unique and swift 
 progress to power and influence. The missionary 
 field all over the world was witnessing fresh conquests. 
 The Isles of Fiji laying aside the idols, their cannibal 
 King converted, were in a state of spiritual revival. 
 Under a new Queen the breath .of persecution was 
 fanning and sifting the Christian flock in Madagascar, 
 men and women going cheerfully with hymn-singing 
 to torture and death. In England Livingstone, 
 just about to start upon his last journey, was speaking 
 at Cambridge University, turning his toil-worn face 
 with its eyes of fire on the Hstening students with 
 the words : " I go back to Africa to try and make
 
 148 THE MISSION PLANTED 
 
 an open path for commerce and Christianity. Do you 
 carry out the work which I have begun. I leave it 
 with you." From our shores had just sailed the Rev. 
 J. N. Gordon for Erromanga, where, like Wilhams 
 before him, he met a martyr's death ; and on 
 29 June, in that same year, a small but well-ap- 
 pointed vessel left Fernando Po for the Niger, with 
 Crowther on the deck, amid cheers from ships and 
 shore. This was the beginning of a new era in the 
 commercial history of West Africa ; but as he stood 
 there, with his Bible clasped to his heart, he saw in 
 the voyage a higher purpose, that of laying with 
 prayer and faith the foundations of that missionary 
 work which should for all time be associated with his 
 name. 
 
 It was a pecuhar satisfaction to him that his old 
 friend and fellow-traveller. Dr. Baikie, was appointed 
 as the responsible head and leader of the expedition, 
 and although through the lamented death of Bishop 
 Weeks and the two missionaries Messrs. Beale and Frey, 
 he could not have them and some native helpers from 
 Sierra Leone included in the plan, he had with him 
 the Rev. J. C. Taylor, a native clergyman, born in 
 Sierra Leone, but the child of liberated slaves from 
 the Ibo country. In addition he took with him 
 Simon Jonas, who had already done good work in 
 connection with the previous expeditions. 
 
 But Crowther had also provided himself with another 
 companion, besides the two or three native catechists 
 which made up the party. The objective of the 
 voyage was the great Foulah kingdom, with its im-
 
 THE MISSION PLANTED 149 
 
 portant towns of Kano, Rabbah, and Sokoto. He 
 
 therefore took precautions which in his judgment were 
 
 very necessary under the circumstances. He knew 
 
 he would have to face a Moslem people. Here are 
 
 his words on the point : 
 
 I have thought it advisable, with a view of making favour- 
 able impressions on the minds of the Mohammedan population 
 through whose country we shall have to pass to Sokoto and 
 Ilorin, to engage Kosomo, a Yoruba Mohammedan and 
 liberated African, who has been an Arabic teacher for many 
 years, to accompany me on my travels. Kosomo has ever 
 appreciated the benevolence of the British Government on 
 behalf of Africa, nor less so the labours of the Church Mission- 
 ary Society in converting the heathen from idolatry to the 
 worship of the true God. Such a man will do a vast deal in 
 softening the bigotry and prejudice of men of his persuasion. 
 The beginning of our missionary operations under Moham- 
 medan government should not be disputes about the truth or 
 falsehood of one religion or another, but we should aim at 
 toleration, to be permitted to teach their heathen subjects the 
 religion we profess. 
 
 This action on the part of Crowther indicates the 
 attitude which in his opinion was a wise one to take 
 up in future dealings with these Mohammedans. 
 It will be admitted that such a course was on the line 
 of least resistance, and, moreover, created friendly 
 allies where the work might have made bitter foes. 
 He was eminently a man of discretion, and it never 
 seemed his habit to undertake anything or embark 
 on any step in life, however simple in itself, without 
 looking all round the question and estimatmg probable 
 consequences. Crowther was not the man to be 
 carried away on a mere wave of impulse, if tlie phrase 
 may be used he never lost his head, and it is equally 
 true that with his indomitable spirit of perseverance
 
 150 THE MISSION PLANTED 
 
 he never lost his heart. In all these journeys, travels, 
 toils, and sometimes sufferings, one great ideal, like 
 an undimmed lamp, glowed in his very soul. It was, 
 as we have seen from his earliest letters, the establish- 
 ment of a native Church in Africa; a native clergy, 
 duly trained and equipped, ministering to their 
 own people. It is said that wherever the Japanese 
 go, their alert mind estimates everything from one 
 absorbing patriotic standpoint, " How will this benefit 
 Japan ? " In a nobler sense than this was Crowther's 
 attitude, not only the welfare of his country, but the 
 conversion of his people. He had already gained 
 experience, and the native churches of Sierra Leone, 
 Lagos, and Abeokuta supplied him with reliable data 
 upon which to form his conclusions as to future 
 possibilities and difficulties. Through the cloudy 
 sky of many disappointments the sun of hope and 
 success still cheered him ; he had such faith in his 
 people and in his God for them. These, then, were 
 the thoughts which stirred him as he looked once 
 more upon the broad expanse of that lordly Niger, 
 whose hurrying waves seemed to bring with them the 
 cry of Macedonia from afar. 
 
 The Day spring was now well on her way. She 
 had touched at a village of the Brass country, where 
 the inhabitants were found to be of a very degraded 
 type. It was indeed in this neighbourhood that Mr. 
 Carr and his servant so mysteriously disappeared. 
 The chief town Nembe they had not time to visit, 
 and pushed on until they reached Angiama. In the 
 meantime Crowther was busy with his pen on board,
 
 THE MISSION PLANTED 151 
 
 sketching out divisions of the Bights of Benin and 
 Biafra to be occupied by different societies. He had 
 a horror of so much overlapping. Each society its 
 own sphere of labour was his idea, and he makes a 
 strong note of his convictions at this stage of the 
 work. He was always in brotherly union with the 
 missionaries of other communions, but he lamented 
 the fact that with the best intentions the missionary 
 societies were fostering the evil of competition with 
 each other. 
 
 At Sierra Leone (he writes) this unavoidable evil has gone 
 to a great extent, and it has been unhappily introduced into 
 the newly-established Yoruba Mission, where it has already 
 begun to cause strife and disparagement of one another's 
 church connection among the newly-converted natives be- 
 longing to the difierent missionary societies. This does no 
 good in a new mission field either to the new converts or to 
 the unconverted native population, and has caused us many 
 sorrowful days and weeks. 
 
 It is of the utmost importance that timely measures should 
 be adopted by the great societies, whose sole and benevolent 
 object is the conversion of the heathen to Christianity, and 
 to do this effectually and with greater success than hitherto 
 they should, and ought to, work separately for the extension 
 of the Church of Christ. Why should not this generous- 
 hearted proposal be as applicable to Christian missions as to 
 the settlements of Abraham and Lot ? 
 
 Is not the whole land before thee ? Separate thyself, I 
 pray thee, from me. If thou wilt take the left hand, then 
 I will go to the right ; or if thou wilt depart to the right hand, 
 then I will go to the left. 
 
 He was surprised and delighted to find such im- 
 provements in the appearance of the natives of the 
 Delta ; the men were wearing shirts of Manchester 
 make, the soil was being cultivated, and he counted 
 one hundred native Brass canoes, laden with palm oil,
 
 152 THE MISSION PLANTED 
 
 evidently for trading purposes. Reaching Abo, they 
 had a visit on board from Aje, with his twelve spouses, 
 but Crowther was sorry to find so little improvement 
 in this self-important young ruler. He only asked 
 for rum, and because it was liberally diluted expressed 
 his dissatisfaction, and his cool insistence upon having 
 his presents at once was firmly declined. 
 
 Aje manifested his covetous propensity to-day beyond 
 description ; his conduct on board disgusted everybody, his 
 own attendants not excepted. His familiarity with Europeans 
 from his youth, and the kind indulgence he has ever met with 
 from them as a son of Obi, have completely spoiled him. His 
 tenacity in keeping his attention fixed on any object he cast 
 his eyes upon or which entered into his brain to ask for was 
 beyond conception. My pair of shoes first attracted his 
 observation, which he took without asking any permission 
 and tried to put one on, but fortunately for me my No. 8 shoe 
 could not admit his enormous foot of the size of No. ii or 12. 
 
 Before he departed he tried to get Mr. Taylor's 
 shoes, wanted to carry off the cushion kindly placed 
 at his back, made a clutch at the handbell which 
 was being rung to give notice that dinner was ready, 
 and generally displayed his cupidity all round, until, 
 to the relief of his hosts, he got into his canoe and 
 paddled back home. Crowther has serious thoughts 
 as he watches this young ruffian disappear. 
 
 These trifling details would have been unnecessary if they 
 have not intended to show what kind of man Aje is and how 
 careful one should be in entrusting goods to such a person, 
 who has no control over his covetous propensity. I have 
 observed this failing among the Abo people more than in any 
 other with whom we have had communication in the upper 
 parts of the river. Presents from the people should be avoided 
 or refused as much as possible, otherwise one is placed in the 
 painful position of an insolvent debtor ; if a sprat be received, 
 a salmon is sure to be required in its stead.
 
 THE MISSION PLANTED 153 
 
 After many subsequent interviews with the grasping 
 Aje, Crowther went to the headman of another part 
 of the town and secured land whereon the new mission 
 premises might be built. Passing on they landed at 
 Ossamare, where they were received with much 
 civility, and here also the site of a mission station was 
 arranged. When they arrived at the important town 
 of Onitsha, the people took sheer fright at the appear- 
 ance of white men, the first they had ever seen, and 
 it took some time to persuade them to lay aside their 
 weapons of defence and agree to a friendly palaver. 
 Eventually one of them acted as guide through 
 groves of bombax, cocoanut, and palm trees, and some 
 plantations to the town itself, which was finely situated 
 one hundred feet above the level of the Niger. Their 
 interviews with the King and chiefs were most promis- 
 ing. Dr. Baikie and Captain Grant were soon ar- 
 ranging for a factory to be built, and the King addressed 
 the crowd of people in his courtyard, asking whether 
 they concurred in this proposed trading with the white 
 people. This democratic step met with a quick 
 response, and the agreement was concluded by firing 
 of muskets, and then one man stepped forward and 
 said on behalf of the crowd that it was felt that the 
 King's wishes were for the good of their country. 
 Then Crowther mentioned his own particular mission, 
 and introduced Mr. Taylor as the religious teacher 
 who was to live in Onitsha, to show them the Word 
 of God, and to teach the children to read, and that 
 if they paid attention to him, many more would 
 be sent to live with them, and all this they promised
 
 154 THE MISSION PLANTED 
 
 to help and further if they could. Afterwards the 
 
 party repaired to the town in search of a house in 
 
 which Mr. Taylor should live till the mission premises 
 
 were built. The houses they found were mere oblong 
 
 squares of mud, without rooms or windows, and they 
 
 finally selected a little square at the price of six pieces 
 
 of romal handkerchiefs at five shillings a piece. Leaving 
 
 his Sierra Leone catechists and Simon Jonas to clear 
 
 this mud mansion and make it habitable, Crowther 
 
 makes a further tour of discovery, to estimate the 
 
 extent and value of this new sphere of work, and 
 
 notes his impressions as follows : 
 
 While they were doing this we took a stroll about the 
 town, to know the extent of it, as well as to make acquaint- 
 ances. We paid a visit to four groups of houses, the chiefs of 
 which expressed their great joy at our establishments among 
 them. The town of Onitsha is about one mile in length, if not 
 more, which is divided into two sections. On either side are 
 groups of houses, a little remote from the high road, ruled by 
 heads of familiar or inferior chiefs. Both sides of the road 
 are either covered with bushes or plantations till you come to 
 an open road leading to a group of houses further back ; but 
 some of the groups are close and open to the high road, where 
 also a market is held occasionally. In the afternoon we re- 
 turned on board, thankful for the success God had granted 
 to us, though we felt fatigued after a few days' exertions. 
 The whole of yesterday and to-day was a very busy time 
 about Onitsha ; goods were landed, bushes were cleared, and 
 sticks cut for the construction of the factory shed ; the 
 botanist and naturalist took their departments in the fields ; 
 while some of the naval gentlemen, not content to go out in 
 the dawn of the morning to he in wait for the hippopotami in 
 their hitherto undisturbed haunts, pitched their tent in the 
 immediate neighbourhood of these amphibious quadrupeds, 
 if possible to shoot one of them at the same time they were 
 pursuing their nautical observations ; but the mosquitoes, 
 the universal pest of the rivers, did not leave them unmolested 
 during their nightly watch.
 
 THE MISSION PLANTED 155 
 
 During their stay at Onitsha, although they were 
 treated with great kindness, and on every hand 
 there seemed a willingness to receive the Gospel, 
 they had abundant proof that heathenism and super- 
 stition had a strong hold upon the people. On 
 one occasion as they were going through the town 
 to their temporary lodging, Crowther noticed a 
 number of people dressed in their best, and in one 
 of the square houses was a crowd of men and women 
 excitedly dancing to the beat of drums and firing 
 of muskets. When they reached the door they in- 
 quired of a headman what was the cause of all this 
 jubilation, and were told that it was in honour of 
 the burial of a relative who died six months ago. 
 Simon Jonas, who had remained on shore the night 
 before, had also heard that a human sacrifice was to 
 be made. This roused the indignation of Crowther, 
 and in the presence of a crowd of people he protested 
 against this cruel act. It appeared that the victim, 
 a poor blameless female slave, was already waiting 
 for execution, and she was not a little astonished to 
 find the Christian teacher chivalrously standing 
 betwixt her and death. The headman then pro- 
 posed that Crowther should buy the woman, and they 
 would kill a bullock instead ; but this he refused to 
 do. However, afterwards it was discovered that the 
 poor creature was loosed from her bonds. 
 
 Better times were now at hand. Not only the 
 mission premises began to put in an appearance, 
 but in due time a number of native workmen were 
 busy building the factory, and at a solemn council
 
 156 THE MISSION PLANTED 
 
 of the King and his headmen protection was guaranteed 
 to the houses, the work, and the persons employed ; 
 also they promised to abolish human sacrifices and 
 to absolve all visitors from the white man's country 
 from the native law which permits no stranger to 
 sit on any mat or seat in the King's court. Crowther 
 then left Mr. Taylor, Simon Jonas, and three young 
 traders from Sierra Leone to make Onitsha their 
 future home, affectionately saying " Good-bye," and 
 praying that the blessing of God might be their joy 
 and stay. It is worthy of note that this was the first 
 stage in planting a purely native mission as an off- 
 shoot of the colony of Sierra Leone, and having a 
 purely native ministry was a move in advance of 
 the Yoruba mission, which was under the guidance 
 and teaching of Europeans. Crowther rejoiced in 
 spirit. He writes at this time : 
 
 Mr. Taylor has to break open the fallow ground and to 
 sow the seed of a future bountiful harvest among the people 
 of his fatherland. May this be the beginning of a rapid over- 
 spread of Christianity in the countries on the banks of the 
 Niger and in the heart of Africa through native agents ! In 
 parting with his colleague Crowther gave him much valuable 
 advice. " Though we are about to separate," says he, " f or a 
 season, dear brother, yet you are not alone. ' Lo, I am with 
 you alway,' is the faithful promise of the Lord of the harvest 
 to His disciples ; this will also be realized concerning us. . . . 
 Your ministerial duties will be very simple and plain. You 
 will have to teach more by conversation when you visit the 
 people or they visit you, at the beginning, than by direct 
 service. Be instant in season and out of season. May the 
 Lord give you wisdom to win souls to Himself ! You will 
 need much patience to bear and forbear with the ignorance 
 and simplicity of the people, they are like babes. ... Be not 
 disappointed if you find the people do not act as to their 
 engagement ; it is rather a matter of surprise that they do
 
 THE MISSION PLANTED 157 
 
 so much. They must be taught the lesson of justice and 
 truth, and that by your own example." 
 
 With these and many other admonitions of a very 
 practical character Crowther left Onitsha, fully con- 
 vinced that he could not have selected a better place 
 as the headquarters of the Ibo mission establishments, 
 for health, goodwill of the people, and facilities for 
 holding communication with the interior. 
 
 As the Dayspring drew near to Idda they heard 
 that the old Ata was dead, and that two rivals were 
 fighting for the throne. A little difficulty was ex- 
 perienced when the ship drew near the shore, and 
 Crowther landed for the first time. 
 
 At the dawn I heard the gougon at the landing-place, and 
 the town crier said something about the Oibo which I could 
 not understand. At 7 a.m. we landed on English Island, 
 where we met Ama-Abokko, our old friend, who had come 
 from the Confluence some time ago on political business. He 
 had heard of our arrival at Abo and had been expecting us. 
 Having entertained us as usual, he was requested to send a 
 messenger to announce our arrival to the Ata and our inten- 
 tion to visit him in the course of the day ; he would not tell 
 us, when asked, whether the old Ata was alive or dead. His 
 reply to that question was, " King never dies." We returned 
 on board for breakfast. Before noon we landed to pay our 
 respects to the Ata, and were conducted by Ama's messenger 
 first to Abeya, where we were kindly received and entertained 
 according to custom. After a considerable delay we were con- 
 ducted to the house of our old friend Ehemodina, who em- 
 braced me and Dr. Baikie with open arms to express his joy 
 at seeing us again. Here we sat, and were entertained as 
 usual. 
 
 But this hospitality was interrupted by the en- 
 trance of the head eunuch, and difficulties were 
 promptly placed in the way of an interview with the
 
 158 THE MISSION PLANTED 
 
 King. In a tone of insolence this man told the visitors 
 they might sail away if they liked, as the river was 
 open for everybody, but the Ata should not be seen 
 that day. In like manner Captain Trotter had been 
 treated sixteen years before, and Mr. Beecroft, the 
 consul, fared no better, and on the last occasion Crow- 
 ther found himself stopped at all points when he desired 
 to see the Ata. It was felt that this swaggering 
 official must be taught that the white man was not 
 to be played with, so the whole party rose and re- 
 turned to the ship without a word. This had the 
 desired effect ; a string of royal notables came on 
 board next morning to apologize for the affront, 
 and after much palaver the King was finally visited, 
 a new young Ata in the place of the old, who promised 
 to follow in his father's footsteps as regards his friend- 
 ship with white men. Before leaving Idda a learned 
 mallam, who had been there four years, was intro- 
 duced to Crowther. He had a full copy of the Koran, 
 and from him some shght information was gathered 
 respecting Sumo Zaki and Dasaba, whom Crowther 
 was hoping to see at the end of the journey. A few 
 days later a number of Mohammedans were also 
 interviewed, and portions of the Koran were read 
 aloud; one of these men not only read with great 
 fluency, but shutting up the book he repeated chapter 
 after chapter from memory, to the great surprise 
 and admiration of all. Crowther's comments are : 
 
 The further we go the more convinced I am of the necessity 
 of introducing the study of Arabic into our institutions at 
 Sierra Leone. What advantage it would have given if any one
 
 THE MISSION PLANTED 159 
 
 of the Christian teachers could also have stepped forward and 
 read a few verses out of his Arabic Bible ! Such capability 
 would place the teachers of the Anasaras in a much more 
 prominent position among these self-conceited people. Beside 
 this, I believe in this part of Africa, where the knowledge of 
 Arabic is so imperfectly known, the use of the Arabic character, 
 combined with teaching in Roman or italic characters in the 
 native tongues, would be the means of counterbalancing the 
 rapid spread of Mohammedanism among the rising generation. 
 But so long as the use of the Arabic character is excluded 
 from our schools and left to the use of the ignorant followers 
 of Mohammed alone, they will take advantage of this to con- 
 tinue their deception upon the ignorant heathen by holding 
 these letters as more holy than any others in the world ; but 
 by these characters being brought into common use their 
 artful cheat would be laid open. 
 
 In this town of Ghebe Crowther arranged for mission 
 premises to be erected on the north side of the town, 
 while the site of the factory had been settled on the 
 south. Some rather awkward situations were caused 
 by a misunderstanding with the farmers, who thought 
 their land was being confiscated, and stopped the 
 workmen accordingly. This fortunately quieted down, 
 and Crowther gives an interesting word picture of 
 a meeting he had when he had gone ashore after con- 
 ducting a service : 
 
 After service I went on shore to make a beginning of public 
 Christian instruction in the town of Ghebe. Mr. Crook, the 
 disbanded soldier of the Nup6 nation, interpreted for me in 
 Nupe, there being a large number who speak that language 
 there. Besides my English I took an Arabic Bible and Schon's 
 translations of St. Matthew and St. John into Hausa, and an 
 Ibo primer, out of which to teach the alphabet. Taking my 
 seat in the Galadima's ante-hall, which is the common resort 
 of all the people, holding from forty to fifty persons, a number 
 of both sexes, old and young, soon entered, as usual, to look 
 on. Having carefully placed my books on the mat, after the 
 custom of the mallams, Mr. Crook sitting on my right, and
 
 i6o THE MISSION PLANTED 
 
 Kasumo on my left, I commenced my conversation by telling 
 them that to-day was the Christian Sabbath, on which we 
 rest from our labour, according to the commandment of God. 
 The Galadima came in, and to him I read some verses from 
 the third chapter of St. John in Hausa, in the hearing of the 
 people, which he understood and which, by further explana- 
 tion, became more intelligible to him. In the meantime some 
 Mohammedans walked in and desired to see the Arabic Bible, 
 which I delivered to Kasumo to read and translate to them. 
 The Galadima, who reads Arabic, expressed a wish as soon as 
 the school opened to learn to read Hausa in Roman or italic 
 characters. There was an intelligent young man present who 
 could read Arabic, who was also very anxious to read our 
 translations in the italic character. After a long talk I ran 
 over the alphabet from the Ibo primer several times with the 
 Galadima and the young man, at which they showed much 
 quickness and intelligence. I then gave an Arabic copy of the 
 Bible as a present to the Galadima. This was so unexpected 
 that he did not know how sufi&ciently to express his gratitude 
 in words ; and, contrary to the usage of the Mohammedans, 
 he actually was going to throw dust on his forehead as a token 
 of the value he placed on this gift, when Kasumo stopped 
 him by saying it was not our custom to do so. He said his 
 father would be able to read it fluently. May the Lord bless 
 this small and feeble beginning of an attempt to introduce the 
 religion of Christ into this benighted part of Africa ! May 
 the prayers of the Church be heard on its behalf ! 
 
 Throughout Crowther's journals one is continually 
 reminded of his reverent regard for the Sabbath Day. 
 It always gave him pain and much heart-searching 
 when upon these voyages he found the sailors busy 
 with getting and storing fuel, and working in other 
 ways which defrauded them of their day of rest. 
 And we see him here in his service on board, under 
 date 23 August, preaching a practical and fervent 
 discourse on the well-kno\vn text, Exodus xx. 8, 
 " Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy." 
 When going ashore to teach the people he fre-
 
 THE MISSION PLANTED i6r 
 
 quently took with him one of the officers of the ship, 
 and these would appreciate the difficulties which 
 the missionary must encounter, and which would 
 scarcely be likely in a place of worship at home. 
 As an instance of this, here is an extract from the 
 record of a Saturday afternoon preaching : 
 
 When a sufficient number was collected I began to address 
 them from Matthew vii. 12 : " Therefore all things whatsoever 
 ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them, 
 for this is the law and the prophets," to which they paid very 
 great attention. I read the text from the Hausa translations 
 as occasion required ; and as the Galadima was present I 
 made Kasumo read the verse from the Arabic Bible, to 
 assure him that the Hausa translations agreed with the 
 Arabic text. Lieut. Glover took his seat on one side of the 
 raised floor to witness our mode of teaching. Every atten- 
 tion was paid to all that was being said, when a little inter- 
 ruption took place among the hearers. As the people stood 
 thick against the doorway, a respectable looking man who 
 was present desired a girl of about thirteen years of age to 
 move a little out of the way to give him room, but she abused 
 the man by calling him a dog. The man, being indignant at 
 such an insult, proceeded to punish her with his long pipe- 
 stick, which caused such a disturbance just at the moment I 
 was telling them of the dying legacy Christ left to His Church, 
 " Peace I leave with you," etc., that I was obliged to stop 
 and pacify the man, while the girl made her escape through 
 the opposite passage. This circumstance directed my dis- 
 course to the duty of obedience which children owe their 
 parents and inferiors to their superiors. I kept them long 
 until I perceived they were beginning to be weary, when I 
 ceased speaking and employed the remainder of the time 
 teaching from the Ibo primer till half-past three, when I closed 
 altogether. 
 
 While anchored opposite Little Fojo the mate died, 
 and the sorrowful party of the ship's company followed 
 his coffin to the place of burial on a small island near 
 the right bank of the river. They laid their comrade 
 
 M
 
 i62 THE MISSION PLANTED 
 
 to rest under a little tree, opposite the lower corner of 
 the Rennell Mountains, cutting a cross on the bark 
 with a chisel, together with his initials and the date. 
 Crowther says the day was very hot, the thermometer 
 standing at 112° ! 
 
 On 9 September they reached the town of Muregi, 
 at the Confluence of the Kowarra and Lafun or Ka- 
 duna, and as the latter appeared to be a navigable 
 stream, the Day spring steamed up, passing the villages 
 of Nupeko and Bajofu on the right bank, and Nku 
 and Abogi on the left, and at sunset they anchored 
 off the ruins of Gbara, the former capital of the Nupe 
 country, now reduced to a village of potters, standing 
 at the foot of Mount Barrow, called by the natives 
 Kpate Gbara, or Gbara Hill. This happened to be 
 the old home of Mr. Crook, their Nupe interpreter, 
 who was naturally very excited on visiting the place 
 after an absence of forty-five years. As they ap- 
 proached Wuyagi, the landing-place for the camp 
 at Bida, Crowther looked forward with keen antici- 
 pation to seeing the great Fulani king, Sumo Zaki, 
 and Dasaba, upon which interview so much of the 
 future of the mission depended, at any rate in that 
 wide district. As an act of courtesy some horses 
 had been sent for their use, and at dawn they entered 
 the huge Mohammedan camp, hearing all round them 
 voices of the faithful at their devotions uttering the 
 " Allahu - akbaru," although seeing as yet no man. 
 Presently they passed a blacksmith's shop, where a 
 man was making knives and beating out a sword blade; 
 then they saw the carpenter cutting shoes and stools,
 
 THE MISSION PLANTED 163 
 
 and the whitesmith in his shop repairing the royal 
 brass trumpet. At this point the rain came down 
 in a steady drizzle, and the visitors took refuge in 
 a shed, where a number of natives were sitting round 
 a fire. The weather clearing up, they crossed to the 
 market place, with its slaves, a woman with her infant 
 just being sold for 70,000 cowries, equal to £7. 
 
 Finally, pressing through a crowd of princesses, 
 courtiers, and other persons of high rank, they were 
 ushered into the presence of the king, Sumo Zaki, 
 a man about forty years old, and of an exceedingly 
 cordial manner. His Majesty shook hands all round, 
 begged them to sit on mats prepared for their use, 
 and in his profuse expressions of joy and welcome 
 told his visitors that he believed it was not for his 
 own goodness, but it was God who directed them to 
 visit him. This interview was of so much importance 
 that Crowther himself shall take up the narrative, 
 and thereby show again, from his point of view, the 
 relative position of Christian mission work and the 
 Mohammedan religion. He also gives here an amusing 
 picture of a rather volatile leader of armies, who could 
 hardly be credited with the grim qualities which 
 led to the devastation of the Niger country. But 
 behind the smile of an African heathen there may be 
 a ferocity which spares nothing when aroused. 
 
 After this (writes Crowther) I introduced myself to him 
 as a mallam sent by the great mallams from the white man's 
 country to see the state of the heathen population and to 
 know the mind of the rulers, whether we might teach the 
 people the rehgion of Anasara and at the same time intro- 
 duce trade among them. To this he at once gave a full consent.
 
 i64 THE MISSION PLANTED 
 
 sajnng that it was all one — we might teach them, and that he 
 would give us a place for a station at Rabba on their return 
 after the rains. He also gave free consent to trade in all parts 
 of the river, with his protection as far as his influence ex- 
 tended. He then entertained us with a large calabash full of 
 kola nuts, some of which he first took himself, and after 
 dividing them gave the parts to Dr. Baikie as a token of great 
 friendship between us. After his presents were given him, 
 with which he was well pleased, he requested us to visit 
 Dasaba in his department, which was about half a mile dis- 
 tant from Sumo Zaki. The doctor had tried to get them both 
 together before the interview took place, but it was not prac- 
 tical. Dasaba is half-brother to Sumo Zaki on the father's 
 side, who was Mallam Deudo, but his mother was a Nufei. 
 We met him dressed in a fine white silk tobe. He is between 
 forty and fifty years of age, and appears to be a person of very 
 lively disposition and humorous in his manner. After the 
 usual salutations we took our seats on the mats and hides 
 spread on the ground for us. When the Doctor repeated the 
 object of his coming to this country it pleased him so much 
 that he rolled on his mat for joy, and in such a jocular manner 
 that it excited us all to laughter. He was quite agreeable to 
 anything which his brother agreed to, as he gave the first 
 place to him and made his brother's wishes his own. After 
 the kola nuts were passed he presented the Doctor with a cow ; 
 but when he had received the Doctor's presents he was so 
 pleased that he added a sheep, lots of yams, and a pot of 
 palm oil. 
 
 On our leaving he accompanied us to the street and saw 
 us mount in safety, and we returned to our lodging. When 
 once bad principles are raised in the mind, especially in a 
 bigoted people like the Mohammedans, whose religion does 
 not teach them to put charitable constructions on what may 
 be said of other people, how absurd and unlikely soever it 
 may be, it is a most difficult task to overcome such prejudice 
 in any other way but by showing the reverse in our own 
 dealings with them. It had been circulated about the country 
 and believed that as the Anasaras do not belong to the religion 
 of Mohammed they cannot be friendly with the people of that 
 faith, and that they cannot^bear the sight of a Mohammedan 
 praying in the name of Mohammed, whom his followers be- 
 lieve to be the true prophet of God. But the appearance of 
 Abdul Kadu. the Foota Toro interpreter, and Kasumo, a
 
 THE MISSION PLANTED 165 
 
 Yoruba, both of them Mohammedans and tolerable Arabic 
 scholars, in our company, excited some inquiries respecting 
 our situation and the treatment they received from us on 
 board. Sumo Zaki himself was not behind in having his 
 curiosity gratified in tliis respect. They were not a little sur- 
 prised to hear from these men of their own persuasion that 
 we treated them with the utmost kindness and did not in the 
 least put any obstacle in the way of their performing their 
 religious exercises. This was certainly unexpected tidings to 
 a people shut up in the interior of the country, having no 
 intercourse with the civilized world. Those who brought them 
 news from the coast were not such as had opportunity of dis- 
 arming themselves of the prejudice they had imbibed by 
 mingling with Christians of sound principles and of friendly 
 disposition. A Mohammedan can never be brought round by 
 his religion being quarrelled with and abusively charged with 
 falsehood and imposition, but by kind treatment he may be 
 led to read and study the Christian's Bible, which by the 
 blessing of God may lead him from the error of his way. 
 
 This advice is a counsel of perfection, and will 
 possibly, after all these intervening years of experience, 
 be confirmed by missionaries to-day who are labouring 
 amongst Moslem people, A visit to the ruins of 
 Rabbah, from which the highlands of Yoruba were seen, 
 was a point of some importance, because it was 
 found that this place was directly on the caravan 
 route between Kano and Yoruba, and the halting- 
 place for Ilorin, a great stronghold of Mohammedanism. 
 Here at this spot one of the native crew, Joe from the 
 South Sea Islands, going ashore after an illness, 
 ate some roots which he mistook for cassava, which 
 is eatable in this country. In a few days he died, 
 self-poisoned by misadventure, and was buried by 
 Crowther on the high cHff. Next day they were 
 fortunate enough to meet with some Borgu traders, 
 whose business is with Ashanti, and Dr. Baikie's
 
 i66 THE MISSION PLANTED 
 
 servant, a Fanti, was able to speak to them. Others 
 of the party, who were Yorubas, were brought on 
 board to see over the ship, and said they knew the 
 very spot where Mungo Park's boat was wrecked, 
 which their fathers used to tell them was built of 
 brass at the bow and the inside was full of sharp irons, 
 against which they used to be warned, when diving 
 in that direction. Crowther, therefore, entertained 
 the hope that he might see this place, associated with 
 this great traveller. Steering carefully between the 
 steep rocks which made a narrow channel of the river 
 beyond Jeba Island, the Dayspring struck and drifted, 
 leaking rapidly, broken upon some rocky islets partly 
 under the water. In a few moments their devoted 
 vessel became a total wreck. They had only time to 
 collect what was possible, and carry it to the shore, 
 by the help of friendly canoes, and had to pass the 
 nights, a tornado of wind and rain sweeping over 
 them, with hardly any shelter, except rain-coats and 
 umbrellas. When the day broke they saw their 
 vessel rapidly disappearing, and the captain, seeing 
 there was no hope, decided to abandon her. Friendly 
 natives again brought them food, and a messenger 
 was sent down to the Confluence to look for the Sun- 
 beam, which vessel was expected to follow, and there 
 report the woeful plight they were in. Meanwhile 
 their visitors from the outlying villages were quite 
 prepared with a theory in explanation of the disaster. 
 They said that Ketsa, the god of the peak, had a dishke 
 to red clothes, and having seen that colour among 
 the shipwrecked party, had broken up the ship.
 
 THE MISSION PLANTED 167 
 
 This gave an opportunity to obtain considerable 
 information about this sensitive deity, whose worship 
 had such a hold upon these poor people. And then 
 he began to declare unto them the true God. He 
 told them that the day of their sudden visit was the 
 day of Soko (the great God), who made of one blood 
 all nations of the earth, and (taking the hand of Mr. 
 Glover and of the Nupe interpreter, being of different 
 nations) yet God made us all alike as are the members 
 of one body (pointing to each separately), and the 
 great God who made these great waters on which 
 they had come in their boat, and also the high hill 
 of Ketsa, which stands in the midst of the great 
 waters, is the God whom the white men worship, fear, 
 honour, and love, and nothing else. This enforced 
 delay was utilized to advantage, Crowther making 
 many excursions into the interior, sometimes running 
 no small risks in dealing with chiefs of a treacherous 
 and unprincipled character. 
 
 One day a strange voice was heard in the crowd 
 of natives, saluting Crowther with " Good morning, 
 sir ! " and the speaker, dressed in an old cast-off tobe 
 and Turkish trousers, proved to be Henry George, 
 a Sunday scholar at Abeokuta. He had a very sad 
 story to tell of experiences in the Nupe country, 
 as one of Dasaba's warriors. He then showed that 
 he had not quite forgotten his reading and writing, 
 and with his finger he forthwith scratched his full 
 name on the sand. As Crowther's interpreter had 
 been sent down to the coast with the mail, and his 
 Hausa servant had been promised to Lieutenant
 
 i68 THE MISSION PLANTED 
 
 Glover, he engaged this young fellow to continue with 
 him. 
 
 Another even more agreeable surprise was when 
 an American missionary, the Rev. M. Clark, paid 
 them a visit, having heard of their misfortunes, 
 and brought with him some sugar, tea, and coffee, 
 which were real comforts to Crowther and his com- 
 panions, who had been living on parched Indian corn, 
 sweetened with honey, for many weeks past. The 
 visitor also brought them news of the outer world, 
 of the Indian Mutiny, and also some old newspapers, 
 which were eagerly scanned. Christmas Day was 
 spent with as much decoration as was possible ; 
 the Union Jack flew at the head of the tent, a string 
 of ship's flags and some branches of green shrubs 
 were arranged over the doorway, and at the proper 
 time in the morning Crowther conducted service 
 and read the Homily on the Nativity and Birth of 
 our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. At twelve 
 o'clock seven guns were fired, echoing along the vaUey 
 of the Yoruba hills opposite, and the purser, with 
 much ingenuity, made a plum pudding out of Indian 
 flour and a few currants, to follow the fowl which 
 took the place of the usual turkey. If this Christmas 
 was spent in somewhat Crusoe fashion, it was none 
 the less a happy one. The httle lonely group thought 
 of wives and children and loved ones far away, and 
 Crowther remarks, with his common-sense way of 
 looking at things : " To me it was a matter of much 
 satisfaction and thankfulness to the Giver of all good 
 things that the party continued in such good health
 
 THE MISSION PLANTED 169 
 
 in a place believed to be most deadly in its influence 
 on the European constitution." A week afterwards 
 he makes some notes in his diary, bearing date i 
 January, 1858 : 
 
 " A happy new year to you ! " was the salutation and 
 wish which passed from one to the other early this morning. 
 Last night we all kept up till twelve o'clock and the old year 
 passed away and the new one commenced. Two large guns 
 were fired to welcome this new round of time. How many 
 recollections of the past were brought to mind, and how 
 serious the thought of what the new year may bring forth ! 
 May God prepare us to meet every event as faithful soldiers 
 of Christ. 
 
 Kasumo, the Arabic interpreter, having returned, 
 came one night to Crowther with the Futa interpreter, 
 and held a long conversation on the Christian re- 
 ligion until one o'clock in the morning. They had 
 some doubts in their mind which they wished cleared 
 up, whether it was Christ Himself who suffered death 
 upon the Cross, or whether another person was sub- 
 stituted in His place, to save Him from that 
 ignominious death, which they had been taught to 
 believe God would not suffer Christ to endure, out of 
 the great honour put upon Him. This naturally 
 led to a long explanation and an account of 
 Christ's passion, and Crowther says he put it to 
 them thus : " that if Christ Himself had not died, 
 then we were found false witnesses, because then 
 He had never shed His blood, which is the price 
 of our redemption ; that if anything were kept back 
 from Christ's ignominious death from a desire to 
 honour Him, by so doing we deduct from the great
 
 170 THE MISSION PLANTED 
 
 dignity He obtained by His sufferings and death." 
 So much were these two inquirers impressed with 
 the truth of Christianity that both of them admitted 
 that their knowledge from the Koran alone was very 
 scanty and weak. 
 
 Crowther obtained permission from one of the 
 chiefs to secure a piece of ground for mission premises ; 
 five conical huts were to be erected thereon. He 
 had a desire to acquire also an adjoining portion of 
 land upon which a huge pile of hippopotamus bones 
 had been erected, but this was a fetish arrangement, 
 and could not be disturbed. But he purchased a 
 native boat and fitted it up with seats for six passen- 
 gers, and then, in the sight of an admiring crowd, he 
 launched it with the name of the Mission Canoe. 
 Amongst the Mohammedans Crowther discovered 
 a keen spirit of inquiry, and scarcely a day passed 
 without some question being put to him, comparing 
 their religion with Christianity. It was the fast of 
 Ramadan. 
 
 During the fasting days the constant question was : "Do 
 not the Anasaras fast ? " My reply was : " Yes, they do 
 fast ; but the fast of the Anasaras is of a more private and 
 conscientious kind than your public one. Thousands of the 
 Anasaras may fast to-day and their neighbours know nothing 
 of it, but their fast is known to God and to themselves ; just 
 so is their prayer in secret, as Christ has taught us." The 
 answer I always received was : " You are true persons ; your 
 religion is superior to ours." But be it remembered, this ac- 
 knowledgment is made by the people, who only follow as they 
 are led, and who embrace Mohammedanism because it is 
 superior to the reUgion of the heathen ; but from those who 
 profess to be leaders and teachers of that rehgion we cannot 
 expect such a ready acknowledgment, but rather opposite.
 
 THE MISSION PLANTED 171 
 
 Several events, incidental to travellers, occurred 
 to Crowther at this time, such as the discovery of 
 a huge snake among the meal bags in the tent ; a 
 visit one dark night from a leopard, attracted by 
 some young goats which, disappearing without touching 
 them, came back again in the morning, and sprang 
 upon one of the best milch goats. Every native 
 seemed anxious at these times of danger to show a 
 clean pair of heels, and as the party was destitute of 
 firearms, it was only the shouting and general uproar 
 of the camp which frightened the creature away, 
 and saved their lives. Sickness began to make its 
 appearance ; the good health for which Crowther 
 had been so thankful was no longer the rule, and Mr. 
 Howard, the good purser, who had so deftly prepared 
 the Christmas pudding, died after a few days of 
 dysentery, much to the special grief of Crowther, who 
 had an affection for him. 
 
 As might be expected, the only enemies of the 
 proposed mission were the slave dealers, and these 
 circulated false reports of the aims and conduct of the 
 white men, doing their utmost to poison the minds 
 of the kings and chiefs against them. Crowther had 
 at one time, as a consequence of this, the greatest 
 difficulty in dealing with the chief eunuch of the King 
 N'deshi, who had fomented a strife about the building 
 of the mission huts, and all these questions, especially 
 relating to the holding of land, Crowther realized 
 must be settled before he left, or it would entail 
 endless trouble on the mission afterwards. The 
 condition of the native women enlisted his sincere
 
 172 THE MISSION PLANTED 
 
 sympathy. They were the most industrious part of 
 the population, but had to suffer most, as well as work 
 the hardest. The picture he gives of their position, 
 and the curious system they have of pawning their 
 children to escape slavery, is worth quoting from his 
 journal : 
 
 A great deal of labour is entailed on the women ; on them 
 solely devolves the care of the children, to feed and clothe 
 from childhood until they are able to render their mothers a 
 little assistance if they are females, or if they are boys, till 
 the fathers claim their help in the farms if they be farmers. 
 With such a charge upon them, without help, having to labour 
 hard in bearing burdens — for they are the chief carriers of 
 loads, grinding corn upon the millstones many times till late 
 hours of the night, beguiling the tedious labour by their mill 
 with songs, which labour is resumed at an early hour of the 
 morning, preparing the flour into meal, retaiUng the same in 
 the market, or hawking it about the town from house to house, 
 and providing their husbands with provision from it — it is no 
 wonder that they are soon worn out, and a female of thirty 
 years has an appearance of forty. The most distressing part 
 of the whole is that in time of war, when these poor women 
 are unfortunate enough not only to lose their own liberty, 
 but also that of their children, the additional care of procuring 
 a ransom for themselves and their children adds tenfold more 
 to their already heavy burdens. During the war which ter- 
 minated in the subjugation of Umoru thousands of families 
 had been brought into slavery by it, which added not a Uttle 
 to their painful toil. Very little is done by the husband to 
 ransom so many wives and children ; the consequence is 
 every woman must see after herself and her children the best 
 way she can to prevent their being sold into foreign service. 
 Hence they have no other means but to have recourse to the 
 system of pawning, as it is done in Yoruba. One example 
 here will suf&ce. Fatuma, the aged mother of our good friend 
 Dagenna, the Galadima at Ghebe at the Confluence, was met 
 here living in the village of Kawura, about a day's journey 
 from Rabba. She had the misfortune to have three nieces 
 under her care, who were caught during the Umoru war. Her 
 son being afar oS at the Confluence, she had no help ; there
 
 THE MISSION PLANTED 173 
 
 was no alternative ; these children were to be sold northward 
 by way of the desert, or westward down to the coast, if they 
 were not forthwith ransomed. In this dilemma she could not 
 do otherwise than sell all she had that was saleable, and then 
 have recourse to a loan of cowries to make up the amount 
 required. Two of the children were put in pawn for 20,000 
 cowries each — their labour was taken for the interest till the 
 principal could be paid — and she herself was pawned for 
 another 20,000, for which she had to pay the interest of 30 
 cowries a day, making 210 cowries per week. Since we had 
 been cast up here she had been actively at work, selling yams, 
 rice, rice flour, and such articles as were needed, and by small 
 helps from us she had almost cleared up her debts when I 
 last saw her. We should have been glad to release her at once 
 in consideration of the assistance we had so many times re- 
 ceived from her son if our means could have admitted of so 
 doing. 
 
 There is something very pathetic about the spectacle 
 of this brave, good soul, not even the mother, but 
 the loving aunt of these little children, and one hopes 
 that her self-denying labours were not in vain, and 
 that the ransom was fully paid. It is noteworthy 
 also that in a place which the usurious Israelite had 
 not yet discovered, his dark-skinned representative, 
 in exacting over fifty per cent on mortgage of this 
 poor woman, displayed considerable business instincts. 
 But the organ of acquisitiveness is never wanting in 
 the children of Ham. Even so astute and watchful 
 a mind as that of Crowther had all its time taken up 
 in preventing abuses through the system of giving 
 presents. He points out that it is estabhshed and 
 practised by all throughout the country, and one 
 cannot interview a chief for the first time with any 
 prospect of success unless you bring a present in your 
 hand. It is this chiefly by which the status and im-
 
 174 THE MISSION PLANTED 
 
 portance of the visitor are estimated ; his character 
 goes for little, but his gifts are talked about and 
 valued everywhere. And, on the other hand, if they 
 give presents to the visitors, it is in sure expectation 
 of a similar return of the courtesy. A woman one 
 day brought Crowther ten balls of a country meal 
 called sondokoria, in exchange for which he gave 
 her a paper containing twenty-five needles, which 
 she promptly returned with contempt. Afterwards, 
 however, finding the game of bluff did not pay, she 
 repented and accepted the needles, asking pardon, 
 and begging him to accept the meal, as she gave it him 
 as a pious mallam, as her father was too. 
 
 At length, in October, 1858, the long looked for 
 rehef vessel, the Sunbeam, arrived, and Crowther, 
 with the other members of the party, were taken on 
 board. Before leaving the place of his enforced 
 residence for two years, he said farewell to the chiefs, 
 and completed all the arrangements for estabHshing 
 a post of the mission there. The time had not been 
 lost; indeed, he recognized the opportunity it had 
 given him of gaining a knowledge of the natives which 
 he could not have otherwise acquired. Not a slight 
 advantage was his proficiency in their language, 
 and the influence his name now possessed at a spot 
 where the caravans crossed to and fro. On his way 
 down the river Crowther stopped at Onitsha, and did 
 not return to the coast. In the meantime Mr. Taylor 
 had been working hard with marked success. He took 
 Crowther to the mission stations, introduced him to 
 the converts, and related what wonderful victories
 
 THE MISSION PLANTED 175 
 
 had been won at Onitsha. Many of his stories were 
 full of encouragement. There had been a real spirit 
 of inquiry manifested. Obi Ij'oma, one of the chief 
 men, in the course of a religious conversation was 
 asked if he had a soul. " Yes," was his reply. " But 
 how is that soul to be saved ? " "I do not know," 
 was the sad answer. Then the way of salvation was 
 pointed out to this poor dark mind. With a bright 
 light in his eyes he exclaimed, "/^sw Opara Tshuku 
 Tun uzo oma?" "Jesus, Son of God, show me the 
 good way ? " 
 
 Sometimes, however, they betrayed great caution, 
 and made many curious comments upon the new 
 teaching. At morning service one of the chiefs was 
 present, and after a closing ejaculatory petition, the 
 minister asked what he thought of it all. The old 
 half-enlightened heathen gave answer in an idiom: 
 " Okuko ohunru ohia na ata ona uku na ala ona na 
 me wayo cle udo sia."' The interpretation of which 
 is as follows : "A new fowl when brought into the 
 yard walks gently and looks steadily on the old ones, 
 to see what they do." So the ministers and teachers, 
 being experienced and mature in Christianity, are 
 " the old ones " ; but they being the new fowls, brought 
 into the garden of Christianity, must necessarily 
 walk gently and look steadily at their walk and con- 
 versation. Often in the market place one thousand 
 people would listen to the good tidings of the new 
 religion. Mr. Taylor had found the use of the Ibo 
 tongue a great attraction in his services. On one 
 occasion, while speaking of the folly of idol-making
 
 176 THE MISSION PLANTED 
 
 and the superstitious rites of fetishism as compared 
 with the truths of Christianity, a spirit of genuine 
 conviction seemed to possess the hearts of the hearers, 
 and they confessed that they felt the power of those 
 words, " DeHver me, for Thou art my God." Their 
 black faces underwent an extraordinary change, 
 beaming with delight and satisfaction, and they seemed 
 quite carried away with the glad tidings. It brought 
 to mind the prophetic words of Crowther's friend, 
 good Bishop Vidal, who said : " The time will come 
 when Tshuku (the gods) of Abo and the Ibos in general 
 wiU fall down before the Gospel as Dagon fell before 
 the ark. Their multifarious shrines shall give way 
 for the full liberation and introduction of the Gospel 
 to their forlorn, degraded, long-bewitched, but ran- 
 somed people of God." 
 
 On Advent Sunday Mr. Taylor preached in the 
 King's quarters on the goodness of God in sending His 
 only Son into the world, and illustrated his text by 
 speaking of the capsized canoe on the river, and how 
 readily the King would throw a cable to save his 
 people's lives. Such an act would be what is called 
 salvation. The world was in peril, and God sent His 
 Son to save it, and only through Him can we have 
 life. The old King listened with rapt attention, 
 and then quietly rose with deep feeling, and lifting 
 his hands and his eyes to heaven, slowly repeated 
 these words : " Opara Tshuku hiko napu ga'm, Opara 
 Tshuku hiko napu ayi nile.^^ " Son of God, save me ; 
 Son of God, save us all." 
 
 After a short stay at Onitsha Crowther started
 
 THE MISSION PLANTED 177 
 
 back to the Confluence in a native canoe, with a crew 
 which he found difficult to manage, sometimes threaten- 
 ing him for more passage money, and it was a 
 relief when after these complications he reached Idda. 
 Here he found his old friend Ghemodina ill, and 
 Olumene, the owner of the canoe, took the oppor- 
 tunity of begging for almost everything he could 
 lay his hands on. Finding, however, that Crowther's 
 means and intentions gave him no hope, he begged 
 for something as a charm to make people fear and 
 respect him. He was told that Christians never 
 made such things, but trusted in God, and prayed 
 to Him morning and evening to preserve them. 
 Crowther eventually gave him a small piece of Windsor 
 soap, with which he was highly pleased, and possibly 
 at some future time this unknown toilet requisite 
 would be displayed to the admiration of his friends, 
 if not their adoration too. 
 
 This little voyage to Rabbah was quite an eventful 
 one, and occasionally really dangerous, and Crowther's 
 tact and courage stood him in good stead. With 
 most grateful feehngs he at last found himself enjoying 
 the shade and comfort of the mission huts at that 
 place. Sumo Zaki was reputed dead ; Dasaba was 
 now King of Nupe, and was fighting for his throne 
 against the Gbari. After a brief rest Crowther started 
 for an overland expedition on foot from Rabbah to 
 Abeokuta. He was ill with dysentery to begin with ; 
 this he attributes to the long exposure and constant 
 worry in the open canoe on the journey to Rabbah. 
 But he pushed on, nothing daunted, and reached
 
 178 THE MISSION PLANTED 
 
 Ilorin, where the King and chief mallam cordially 
 welcomed him. And at a large public meeting he 
 was requested to address them on the all-important 
 subject of Christ being the Son of God, leaving them 
 afterwards with kind expressions of God's peace and 
 blessing to rest on him. At last, after a weary and 
 protracted journey, he came in sight of Abeokuta, 
 and was there welcomed by the Bishop and Dr. 
 Baikie, who had just arrived from Lagos. He ex- 
 presses his heartfelt feelings in these words : 
 
 I was thankful to meet all the members of the mission, 
 tolerable in health, and the work of God prospering in their 
 hands. Many new faces were seen among our old communi- 
 cants and candidates who came to salute me on my arrival ; 
 these have since my absence been gathered from the scat- 
 tered sheep among the thousands who are yet wandering from 
 the fold of God. I hope and trust many more yet will hear 
 the call of Christ through His faithful servants by the preach- 
 ing of the Gospel. . . . My hearty prayer is that not only at 
 Abeokuta, but in all other places where we have been per- 
 mitted to have stations, obstacles may be removed out of the 
 way, that many who are at present ready to join the Church, 
 but kept back through the fear of man or through the in- 
 fluence of sin, may be released from their bondage, hear the 
 call of Christ, and join His Church. 
 
 He could, however, only spend a short refreshing 
 time with his friends here, for he soon made his way 
 to Lagos, after being absent from his wife and family 
 for two years and a half. He did not stay very long, 
 however, for in the summer of 1859 he was going up 
 the Niger again on board the Rainbow, but suffered 
 a great disappointment on finding the passage stopped 
 at the Confluence, a message having been sent down 
 by Dr. Baikie that no missionary work could be
 
 THE MISSION PLANTED 179 
 
 undertaken at present. There was, therefore, no 
 help for it but to return to the coast. On its way 
 back the Rainbow was fired on by some natives at 
 the Delta, and two men on board were killed. This 
 unfortunate incident closed the Niger for two years, 
 and during this long period of seclusion the native 
 workers at the various mission stations which Crowther 
 had established were left to themselves. He stayed 
 at the mouth of the Nun for a long time, waiting in 
 vain for the gunboat which was to be sent by the 
 English Government to punish the villages. Early 
 in the year 1861, through the lamented death of 
 Mr. Laird, the pioneer of West African trade, the 
 various factories on the Niger were closed, and no 
 more vessels were sent for commercial purposes ; 
 and it was not until July of the same year that H.M.S. 
 Espoir entered the river and destroyed the places 
 from which the firing had come. Crowther was on 
 board this vessel, and took with him two fresh native 
 helpers to replace some on the Niger. A fresh mission 
 station was opened at Akassa, at the mouth of the 
 Nun river, and during the following winter he pre- 
 pared a large party of thirty-three native teachers, 
 with their wives and children, for the Niger. These, 
 slightly reduced in numbers, were taken on board 
 another gunboat, H.M.S. Investigator, which reached 
 Onitsha on 5 September, 1862. Here, however, 
 Crowther was not permitted to land, as the vessel 
 proceeded up river in a few hours, much to his dis- 
 appointment that he could not visit the mission 
 station and see the people from whom he had been
 
 i8o THE MISSION PLANTED 
 
 separated so long. When he reached the Confluence 
 he went ashore at Ghebe. It was a memorable morn- 
 ing when the Christian converts and heathen gathered 
 in the mission chuich to meet the kind and faithful 
 minister who had firs'" spoken to them of the Christian 
 faith, and now met them with thankfulness as the 
 firstfruits of his labours. This chapter will close 
 with his own account of this remarkable scene, which 
 naturally meant so much to him after so many trials 
 and disappointments : 
 
 Sept. 14, 1862. This day at the morning service, though 
 with fear and trembhng, yet by faith in Christ, the great Head 
 of the Church, who has commanded, " Go ye therefore, and 
 teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, 
 and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," I took courage and 
 baptized eight adults and one infant in our new chapel in the 
 presence of a congregation of one hundred and ninety-two 
 persons, who all sat still with their mouths open in wonder 
 and amazement at the initiation of some of their friends and 
 companions into a new religion by a singular rite, the form 
 in the name of the Trinity being translated in Nupe and dis- 
 tinctly pronounced as each candidate knelt. These nine per- 
 sons are the first-fruits of the Niger Mission. Is not this a 
 token from the Lord to the Society to persevere in their 
 arduous work to introduce Christianity among the black 
 population on the banks of the Niger, and that they shall reap 
 in due time if they faint not ? More so when the few baptized 
 persons represent several tribes of large tracts of countries on 
 the banks of the Niger, Tshadda, Igaru, Igbira,^Gbari, Eki, 
 or Bann, and even a scattered Yoruba was amongst them. Is 
 not this an anticipation of the immense fields opened to the 
 Church to occupy for Christ ? 
 
 The newly-founded mission was, however, destined 
 to pass through more trials, largely owing to the 
 instability of authority vested in the ruling powers 
 in native towns. As a king or superior chief exercises
 
 THE MISSION PLANTED i8i 
 
 autocratic sway, it rarely follows that on his decease 
 the same favour which he showed to the mission can 
 be counted on from his successors. Crowther had 
 always been successful in winning the confidence of 
 these native potentates. He always made a point 
 of impressing upon them that the visit of the Christian 
 missionary was not with warhke intent, or from any 
 desire to forcibly appropriate territory, but simply 
 to teach them the truths of Christianity, and to en- 
 courage them, for their own advantage, to engage 
 in trading relations with the world outside. 
 
 As an instance of this, while Crowther was staying 
 at Ghebe one of the messengers of King Masaba, 
 who seems to have cherished suspicions of the peaceful 
 intentions of the mission, was entertained by Crowther 
 at the mission station, and was taken round the 
 premises, shown the schoolroom, the cotton gins, 
 and the press and bales which were produced out of it, 
 greatly to the astonishment of the visitors. 
 
 I asked him (writes Crowther) to deliver this message to 
 the King, that we are Anasara ; there, pointing to the school- 
 room, we teach the Christian religion ; pointing to the cotton 
 gin, I said this is our gun ; and to the clean cotton pu£6ng 
 out of it, that is our powder ; and I said the cowries which 
 are the proceeds of the operation are the shots which England, 
 the warmest friend of Africa, earnestly desires she should 
 receive largely. The King was to Judge from the messenger, 
 who had seen of our proceeding here, whether the efforts of 
 England were injurious to the prosperity of a nation or favour 
 able to its peace and welfare. 
 
 To prove what an excellent impression was made 
 by this tactful treatment of the position, it may 
 be added that when Ama Abokko, the King of Ghebe,
 
 i82 THE MISSION PLANTED 
 
 was on his deathbed, and was giving charge to his 
 head chiefs about his children and the government 
 of the town after his death, until a successor should 
 be elected, he did not forget Crowther and his fellow- 
 helpers in the mission, saying, " Suffer nothing to 
 harm Oibos ; they are my strangers." But unfor- 
 tunately, when he had gone the country was thrown 
 into confusion and anarchy, and in the midst of these 
 revolutions the mission premises were entirely de- 
 stroyed, and the Confluence station had to be re- 
 moved to Lokoja.
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 
 
 THE work on the Niger had now reached a point 
 when it became absolutely necessary that some 
 steps should be taken to ensure its consohdation 
 and thorough supervision. Amid many hindrances 
 and delays through the uncertainty of ships going 
 up and down the Niger, and in spite of occasional 
 hostihty from native kings, the mission had obtained 
 a permanent hold upon the country ; but experience 
 had shown that the cUmate was still a deadly barrier 
 to European missionaries. At that time the origin 
 and conditions of the malarial fever were not so 
 accurately known as they are to-day, and this was 
 a point of importance in determining the future 
 support of the work by Enghshmen in West Africa. 
 But altogether apart from this consideration, the 
 advantage of utilizing the native quahties of grace 
 and ability was clearly demonstrated. Crowther's 
 fond idea of Africa for the African as regards the 
 foundation of a native Church seemed within sight 
 of realization. In an important and ably written 
 article which appeared in the "Church Missionary 
 
 183
 
 i84 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 
 
 Intelligencer" in May, 1864, the position was clearly 
 defined, and shows the steps which were leading up 
 to the new departure of creating a native Bishopric 
 in West Africa. The writer, who evidently discusses 
 the question from an official and authoritative stand- 
 point, after adverting to the evils of the slave trade 
 and the grave dangers of the climate in West Africa, 
 says : 
 
 But these difficulties have been, in a great measure, over- 
 come ; the power of the slave trade is broken, and although 
 it still lives, yet, like a venomous serpent which has received 
 a mortal injury, it is in its death throes. The insalubrity of 
 the climate no longer presents the same hindrance that it 
 used to do to the progress of missions, and that because the 
 European missionary is no longer alone in the work. A native 
 Church has been raised up on the peninsula of Sierra Leone, 
 with its well-ordered congregations and its native ministers 
 effectively discharging the high responsibilities imposed on 
 them. This native Church, in a great measure self-supporting 
 and self-ministering, is now girding itself up to enter upon its 
 duties as a missionary church and send forth its evangelists 
 into the heathen and Mohammedan countries which lie 
 around it. Already the African Christian has been tried in 
 this service. He has shown himself not only capable of under- 
 standing and receiving the truth of Christianity, but of com- 
 municating it to his fellow-countrymen. On him the African 
 climate exercises no malign influences, to him the languages 
 of Africa present no impediment. Although few in number, 
 compared with the multitudinous inhabitants of that great 
 continent, yet the first-fruits of Africa to Christianity is in a 
 remarkable degree multilingual, and thus the services of a 
 large proportion of the tongues of Africa are clearly placed at 
 the disposal and are ready to be engaged in the service of 
 Christianity. 
 
 The opportune moment thus appears to have arrived when 
 the native Church should be still further empowered to go 
 forth and with a holy freedom do the Lord's work in Africa, 
 and as the native Christian has been raised to the ministry 
 so the native ministry be permitted to culminate in a native
 
 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 185 
 
 episcopate. The question is, can one among the African 
 clergymen be found to whom so great a responsibiUty can 
 with safety be trusted ? and this question the Church Mission- 
 ary Society has ventured to answer in the affirmative. Nearly 
 twenty-one years have elapsed since the Rev. Samuel Crowther 
 was ordained a deacon by the late Bishop of London. The 
 Lord has given him grace during the period which has since 
 elapsed to continue humble, consistent, and useful. He has 
 made full proof of his ministry. The new missions on the 
 Niger imperatively require episcopal superintendence. They 
 are so remote from the Bishop of Sierra Leone as to be placed 
 entirely beyond his reach. The native catechists who have 
 been instrumental in raising up congregations at Onitsha and 
 Ghebe require prompt admission to Holy Orders, that they 
 may duly minister to their flocks and, as well by the teaching 
 of God's Word as by the due administration of the Sacraments, 
 promote their growth. Our Christians on the banks of the 
 Niger need to be as quickly as possible brought forward into 
 activity and be utilized in missionary effort among their 
 countrymen. To delay any longer the native episcopate would 
 be unduly to retard the development of the native Church. 
 
 These words will sufficiently indicate why a bishop 
 was wanted on the Niger, and that Crowther must 
 be the man called to fill that office. They are also 
 an indication, one had almost said a vindication, not 
 only of the capacity of the negro for full orders as a 
 missionary clergyman, but of the success which had 
 already attended his labours among his own people. 
 Whatever trying vicissitudes the work might after- 
 wards be called to suffer, the foundation of the native 
 Church had by Crowther's earnest endeavour been 
 well and truly made. Pioneers, like inventors, often 
 miss the historical credit of their labours, and the 
 man who cleared the ground and spread the base 
 secure is generally forgotten in the acclaim when 
 the flag flies over the completed structure. Crowther
 
 i86 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 
 
 was being called to a diocese which he had himself 
 created. He introduced by his discoveries these 
 places in his country which have since become such 
 familiar names in the missionary field. He had 
 done more. He had in a quiet, unostentatious, 
 and yet unmistakable way proved in himself the 
 latent qualities and capacities of the African, and, in 
 a lesser degree, it was also demonstrated in the native 
 agents he employed at his stations. Therefore the 
 selection of such a man to the highest honour the 
 Church can bestow was amply deserved and appre- 
 ciated, both in Africa and England. It was the cul- 
 mination of a unique career. 
 
 The grey old cathedral at Canterbury has witnessed 
 many wonderful events, but St. Peter's Day, 29 June, 
 1864, will rank as a red-letter day in its annals. There 
 are those living who have interesting memories of 
 that scene three-and-forty years ago. It was no 
 ordinary occasion. Special trains were run from 
 London and elsewhere, and as early as eight o'clock 
 an unusual crowd were present at morning prayer. 
 The cathedral never looked more beautiful, bathed 
 in summer sunshine, a bright augury of the new 
 epoch in missionary polity and enterprise. Among 
 the thousands filling those seats with expectant 
 faces were many friends of Crowther, but we will 
 only notice two who had a special interest in the 
 service. One in naval uniform is Admiral Sir H. 
 Leeke, who was the young captain on board H.M.S. 
 Myrmidon to first take in his hands the httle rescued 
 slave boy, palpitating with fear and wonder, from
 
 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 187 
 
 the captured slaver off the coast of Lagos. This 
 boy, who was soon to be consecrated as Bishop, 
 had never lost sight of his friend, who now, with 
 many thankful memories, forms one of the congre- 
 gation. 
 
 An elderly lady slowly makes her way to a front 
 seat, where she might easily see and hear ; but one 
 of the churchwardens reminds her that this place 
 is reserved for a distinguished lady who had a ticket. 
 She turns round and quietly says in answer : " I think 
 I have a right equally to this seat, because that black 
 minister to be consecrated Bishop this morning was 
 taught the alphabet by me." The Dean and the 
 lady referred to, hearing this, at once begged the visitor 
 to retain her seat. She was the widow of Bishop 
 Weeks, of Sierra Leone. 
 
 When the Archbishop and other prelates had 
 taken their places, the Bishop of Lincoln read the 
 Epistle and the Bishop of Winchester the Gospel, 
 and the sermon was preached by the Rev. H. Longue- 
 ville Mansel, Professor of Philosophy at Oxford, 
 from I Peter v. 2, 3, on being " ensamples to the flock." 
 Then the choir, with those exquisite boyish trebles, 
 sang Mendelssohn's " How lovely are the messengers," 
 while the two Bishops-elect walked to the vestry to 
 put on their rochets, and on their return, among the 
 others, was this letter patent read : 
 
 " We do by this our licence, under our Royal signet 
 and sign manual, authorize and empower you, the 
 said Samuel Adjai Crowther, to be Bishop of the 
 United Church of England and Ireland, in the said
 
 i88 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 
 
 countries of Western Africa beyond the limits of 
 our dominions." 
 
 It had been arranged that Crowther should be led 
 up to the Communion Table by the two Colonial 
 Bishops present, but the Bishop of Winchester, 
 with kindly thoughtfuhiess, stepped forward, and 
 waving aside Bishop Nixon, took his place beside 
 Crowther, so that on such an occasion a double honour 
 should be rendered to the African prelate, and he 
 walked up with him to introduce him to the Arch- 
 bishop. Such a graceful act was noticed by many 
 present at the service. At this point the choir again 
 sang Wise's anthem, " Prepare the way of the Lord," 
 and while the Bishops-elect were kneeling with bowed 
 heads, the " Veni Creator Spiritus " was beautifully 
 sung to Tallis' music. Then, with hands outstretched, 
 the Archbishop, in a clear voice, gave the apostolic 
 charge : " Remember that thou stir up the grace 
 of God which is given thee by this imposition of our 
 hands, for God hath not given us the spirit of fear, 
 but of power and love and soberness." At this 
 solemn moment Crowther took from the hand of 
 the Archbishop his consecration Bible, with the 
 words : " Take heed unto thyself, and to doctrine, 
 and be dihgent in doing them : for by so doing them 
 thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee. 
 Be to the flock of Christ a shepherd, not a wolf ; 
 feed them, devour them not. Hold up the weak, 
 heal the sick, bind up the broken, bring again the 
 outcasts, seek the lost. Be so merciful, that you be 
 not too remiss ; so minister discipline, that you forget
 
 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 189 
 
 not mercy : that when the Chief Sheplierd shall 
 appear you may receive the never-fading crown of 
 glory ; through Jesus Christ our Lord." 
 
 At the conclusion of the consecration service the 
 new Bishops took their places within the altar rails, 
 and the Communion Service, to which a great number 
 of the congregation stayed, concluded this impressive 
 event. The crowd melted away, and the cathedral 
 grew empty again, but this crowning incident in the 
 life of Bishop Crowther would never be forgotten. 
 Throughout all this solemn function, the impressive 
 prayers, the pealing music, the cadence of the singing, 
 the hush of the consecration vow, and the moment 
 of sweet communion, the heart of this man turned 
 to Africa, his own dear land, and the little flock of 
 his black brethren, and beyond that larger multitude 
 in spiritual fetters for whom Christ died. 
 
 This public event was commented on by the Press 
 as a good and promising step in the right direction ; 
 a few thoughtful sentences from a leading article 
 in the " Record " will sufificiently represent this : 
 
 We might dwell on the practical refutation afforded by 
 Dr. Crowther's merited elevation to the episcopate to the 
 taunts of certain professors who maintain that the cerebral 
 development of the negro shows that he is disqualified for 
 intellectual pursuits, and that he cannot be lifted out of his 
 congenital dullness ; but we pass on to entreat the prayers of 
 our readers for him and his diocese. He will need much 
 wisdom, peculiar grace, and constant strength. Humanly 
 speaking, the future of the native Church depends on the 
 manner in which its first Bishop shall administer its polity 
 and organize its laws. It will be necessary also for him to 
 exercise great discrimination in conferring Holy Orders on 
 his brethren, and to take heed that he magnifies his office in
 
 igo CONSECRATION AND AFTER 
 
 the estimation of all by the exemplary consistency of his Ufe 
 and the holiness of his conversation. That he will do so we 
 are assured of past experience, but the slightest consideration 
 proves how much he needs to be supported by the sympathy 
 and prayers of the Church. 
 
 The new Bishop, amid many congratulations from 
 friends, lost no time in getting to his field of labour 
 again. On 24 July he left England, and arrived at 
 Sierra Leone on 10 August, where he met with a 
 most enthusiastic welcome. When the Macgregor 
 Laird reached the harbour of Freetown crowds were 
 waiting to witness the wonderful spectacle of a liberated 
 African, an Aku man, the trophy of missionary teaching 
 at Sierra Leone, coming as Bishop back to their shores. 
 There was no lavish display of bunting or roar of 
 cannon ; the delighted faces of his own people, and 
 the chorus of " God bless you," which met him every- 
 where, were to Bishop Crowther more than enough. 
 
 After a day's rest he was escorted to Fourah Bay 
 College, where all the clergy, catechists, and school- 
 masters had assembled in one of the lecture-rooms 
 to give him a joyous reception, and express their 
 congratulations. Two addresses were signed and 
 duly handed to him amid applause, one by the whole 
 body of the Church Missionary agents and native 
 pastors, the other by the authorities of the College, 
 upon whose history he had shed such lustre by his 
 name. The first, which bore over thirty-six signatures, 
 was full of brotherly love, as the following extract 
 will testify : 
 
 We regard your consecration as a token of God's favour 
 to the Church in Africa, and would unfeignedly rejoice with
 
 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 191 
 
 you in this mark of His distinguishing love, believing it, as 
 we do, to be an earnest of richer blessings which are yet in 
 store. In reviewing your whole past career in this colony, 
 and subsequently at Abeokuta and the Niger, we thank God 
 for the abundant grace bestowed upon you and for the mea- 
 sure of success granted you in your missionary work, and we 
 trust that the same grace may be vouchsafed to guide and 
 comfort, to strengthen and support you through all your 
 future course in the high office to which you have been called. 
 It will be a source of comfort for you to know that prayer- 
 meetings were held in every district in the colony on the day 
 of your leaving England that God would protect you from 
 the dangers of the deep, and you may rest assured that prayer 
 will constantly ascend, that under your wise and judicious 
 culture the thorn and thistle may be uprooted and the Rose 
 of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley may be seen along the 
 whole banks of the Niger. May the Spirit of the Lord rest 
 upon you, the spirit of wisdom and understanding making 
 you as a chief pastor of the flock of Christ in Africa, of quick 
 understanding in the fear of the Lord, so that you will judge 
 not after the sight of your eyes, nor reprove after the hearing 
 of your ears, but ruling and superintending all things according 
 to truth and love. 
 
 During the reading of this address Bishop Crowther 
 was evidently under deep emotion, and when he rose 
 to reply his voice thrilled with feeling. He very 
 earnestly thanked them for all their loving expressions 
 towards him. Reminding them of old times, he said : 
 
 When we look back to the commencement we find the 
 mission took its beginning among a heterogeneous mass of 
 people, brought together in the providence of God from many 
 tribes of this part of Africa, out of whom, through the zealous, 
 faithful, and persevering labour of the early missionaries, 
 arose devout congregations of faithful and sincere Christians. 
 After a time the mission produced a native ministry, then a 
 self-supporting native pastorate, and latterly, out of the 
 native ministry, an humble step outward was taken in faith 
 to introduce a native episcopate in missions beyond Her 
 Majesty's dominions. Here we pause and raise our Ebenezer 
 to God's praise. Hitherto the Lord has helped us. .
 
 192 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 
 
 This onward progress seems to be an indication from God, 
 beckoning to us to come forward, put our shoulders to the 
 wheels, and ease our European brethren of the great work 
 which they have so nobly sustained alone from their prede- 
 cessors for fifty years, many of whom had sealed the testimony 
 of their zeal with their lives. Their graves at the burial 
 grounds are existing monuments of their faithful obedience to 
 their Master's command : " Go, and teach all nations." 
 
 Whether called to their rest or whether beaten back from 
 the fields of their labour through ill-health and forced to 
 retire, or whether still labouring among us, it is our bounden 
 duty in gratitude to remember and esteem them highly in love 
 for their work's sake, of which we are the fruits. 
 
 We must exhibit a missionary spirit ourselves, and en- 
 courage it among our congregations, if we are imitators of 
 missionary enterprises ; if, like as Timothy knew Paul, we 
 also have known their zeal, we should endeavour to preach 
 the Gospel in the regions beyond the colony. 
 
 To extend our line of usefulness we must seriously impress 
 on our Christian countrymen the necessity of exhibiting a 
 spirit of liberality, after the example of the mother Church, 
 whose spirit we should imbibe, not only to support their own 
 pastors and school teachers, keeping in good repair their 
 churches and other buildings made over into their hands, but 
 also contribute, according to the means God has blessed them 
 with, to send the Gospel into countries beyond them which 
 are yet destitute of the blessings of its light. 
 
 But, above all, we must be followers of Christ, the Great 
 Shepherd of His flock and the example of His apostles, in the 
 habit of prayer for help from above. This is the weapon 
 which prevails most in the work of the ministry. When we 
 feel our weakness and insufficiency for the work to which God 
 has called us, we must constantly go to the Throne of Grace 
 for divine aid. We are better fitted when we feel our incom- 
 petency to change a sinner's heart. This will drive us to 
 apply to the Fountain Head for a quickening spirit from above, 
 which He has promised to all who ask Him ; then we shall be 
 encouraged to go on in this our might. Has He not sent us ? 
 
 It was now the turn of the College, and the address 
 they presented, signed by principal, tutors, and 
 students, was not a whit behind in cordial appreci-
 
 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 193 
 
 ation of the honour laid upon the Bishop, in which 
 they also shared. The words are preserved, but it will 
 be enough to make a brief extract from the greeting 
 of his Alma Mater : 
 
 We thank God for the grace bestowed upon you, enabUng 
 you to labour so faithfully for the past thirty-five years in His 
 service. This Institution at one time enjoyed the benefit of 
 your instruction, but of late years the Yoruba and the Niger 
 missions have been the fields in which you have laboured. 
 Notwithstanding this, we have not been unmindful of you ; 
 your name has been familiar as a " household word " among 
 us, and you have ever been held up as an example to our 
 youth. 
 
 When he got up to reply he was received with 
 that boisterous applause which is the peculiar at- 
 tribute of old college 4^comrades. When quiet was 
 restored the Bishop excused himself from any set 
 speech, seeing that since he landed every moment 
 had been taken up with pressing engagements. But 
 he naturally grew reminiscent, and urged them to 
 avoid that spirit of worldhness and self-interest 
 which had so decimated the sixty students of Haensel 
 and Kissling's regime, that scarcely a dozen were 
 now workers in the mission field. 
 
 He left the college (he said) in 1841 to join the Timmanee 
 Mission, which was then established under the superintendence 
 of Mr. Kissling, but was shortly afterwards detached from 
 that field of labour to join in the Niger Expedition. He then 
 entered into a narrative of bitter taunts and ridicule from his 
 friends, some of whom styled him a fool for joining the expedi- 
 tion without any guarantee of good pay like the Europeans. 
 He told them, in reply, that the Society had promised to 
 supply him with necessaries, and consequently he should not 
 want. He was subsequently connected for ten years with the 
 Yoruba mission, where had gathered, under God's blessing, a 
 
 O
 
 194 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 
 
 very promising and much attached congregation. He dated 
 his connection with the Niger since 1854, from which period 
 he had been hterally moving to and fro. To a friend inquiring 
 at the same time whether he did not mean to rest, he answered : 
 " I shall only rest when I have no more work to do." It was 
 his firm conviction, from what he had witnessed from travel- 
 ling to and fro along the coast, that the difficulties, hardships, 
 and deprivations of missionaries are nothing in comparison 
 with what many a merchant suffers for a paltry gain. A 
 missionary should be jack-of-all-trades, one ready to put his 
 hands to work and to do in a legitimate way anything that 
 might tend to advance the cause of Christ. In conclusion, he 
 called the attention of the students of the college, who were 
 all present, to the fact that though they were but six in the 
 reopening, yet that number was greater by two than what 
 they were when the college was first established in 1827. 
 They had all the brethren before them as an encouragement, 
 whereas he and his fellow-students then had none to look 
 up to. 
 
 He trusted that he had succeeded in his attempt to deepen 
 their hearts in the work, and prayed that every one enlisted 
 under the banner of Christ should never fail to prove himself 
 a good soldier of the Cross. 
 
 The Bishop then recommended in prayer his brethren 
 to the God of Christian missions, and pronounced 
 the Benediction. Soon afterwards we find him starting 
 for Lagos, which he reached on 22 August, and where 
 he held his first ordination service, admitting Mr. 
 Lambert Mackenzie to deacon's orders. He then 
 took a passage on board the Investigator, and went 
 up the Niger again. Bishop Crowther was a man 
 of unresting activity, and a bom traveller. This 
 was one of the qualifications which marked him out 
 as the Bishop of the Niger. The wide extent of his 
 diocese " beyond the limit of our dominions," with 
 an ever-retreating horizon inland, through which the 
 lordly Niger and its tributaries flowed, demanded a
 
 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 195 
 
 man of almost inexhaustible energy. This was an im- 
 possible condition to a European constitution. De- 
 voted missionaries with grand ideals had found them- 
 selves perplexed and baffled by the growing need of 
 the work and their physical incapacity to do anything 
 more. Either they died in the field with a vision 
 of what might have been before their closing eyes, 
 or returned sick and unfit, with a haunting sense of 
 unaccomplished aims. But not so with Bishop 
 Crowther. A little man, with nerves of steel, upon 
 whose constitution neither lagoon nor mosquito 
 could leave any deadly germ, whom incessant work 
 did not seem to wear, intellectually alert and vivid, 
 spiritually so optimistic and full of hopeful faith. 
 He was always on the tiptoe of new achievements, 
 and yet no man had more native dignity or common 
 sense. 
 
 On reaching Onitsha he held another ordination 
 service, and much interest was excited by the strange 
 spectacle of a native being admitted by a native 
 Bishop. The people gazed in wonder ; the like had 
 never been seen before or thought to be possible. 
 But if they were so much impressed, how much more 
 was the Bishop's mind moved by it. He makes 
 this note of his thoughts : 
 
 The native converts did not fully understand what it was, 
 but our mission party entered into it with heart and soul. 
 There was nothing grand in it, but a peculiar solemnity per- 
 vaded the whole service. The place of ordination, the con- 
 gregation among whom it took place, the candidate for 
 ordination, the assisting priest, and the officiating bishop, 
 presented such a novel scene, as if a new thing was taking
 
 196 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 
 
 place in Africa. Can this be real ? Is this the way Chris- 
 tianity spread to remote countries in the first centuries of its 
 promulgation ? In the nineteenth century, the time when 
 " many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased," 
 when " the wilderness and solitary place shall be glad for them, 
 and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose " ? 
 
 But the shadow behind all this was the hold which 
 the evil native customs still had upon Onitsha. While 
 a few were rejoicing in their happy deliverance from 
 this thraldom, there was around a cruel darkness, 
 for on the death of Prince Odiri human sacrifices 
 were made. The native missionary tried his best 
 to stop this, and offered with money to redeem the 
 victims, but without success. Amongst others who 
 were buried alive in the grave of this dead prince was 
 a little innocent girl of eight years of age, with a 
 knapsack hung over her shoulder, containing a piece 
 of mutton, some kola nuts, and a snuff-box, for the 
 use of the spirit of the dead man in the next world. 
 The Christian converts were roused to indignation, 
 and at the risk of their lives they hurried into the 
 King's presence, expressing their horror at what had 
 been done. One cried passionately : " The Gospel, 
 which we have never known before, has appeared 
 in your day. Prize it ! Prize it ! Prize it ! You 
 have to give an account to your Maker and Judge ! 
 Do not shed blood ! " Another man confined himself 
 to a word of simple and heartfelt testimony. He 
 uttered the following words before the King : "I am 
 now a baptized convert, and one of your subjects. 
 The Gospel teaches me to obey those in authority. 
 I have been ridiculed by all my townsmen. I am
 
 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 197 
 
 glad to tell you this day, as my earthly King, that 
 I am a scapegoat of Jesus Christ." 
 
 Some of their ways of expressing their real spiritual 
 experiences are pathetic in their sweet simplicity. 
 For instance, the native pastor had called upon a 
 poor father whose girl, the very apple of his eye, 
 had just died. After a word of condolence on the 
 loss of his daughter the pastor asks his convert : 
 " Do you wholly trust in the Lord ? " The bereaved 
 man clasped his hands and replied : " I do calmly 
 resign all my afflictions to Him. I myself live and 
 move by Him. God forbid that I should distrust 
 my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Look what 
 afflictions and sufferings He undertook on my account. 
 He rescued me from hell." So speaking, he rushed 
 out in the front of his yard, raised his eyes to heaven, 
 gazed long, then fell down on his knees, put his face 
 to the earth with profound humility, and exclaimed, 
 " Good Jesus ! Good Jesus ! Good Jesus ! Give 
 me heart to bear, give me heart to pray ! " 
 
 When the Bishop reached Ghebe he held a con- 
 firmation of five settlers from Sierra Leone and six- 
 teen native converts. This again was a new rite 
 in this far-away outpost, and proved a solemn and im- 
 pressive time. Next day we find him taking the 
 Sunday-school. He was always such a favourite with 
 the children. And after dismissal he had an earnest 
 talk with the teachers about their work. Then he made 
 his way up the river to Idda to see the Ata, in spite 
 of the opposition of the chiefs or the rapacious demands 
 of the canoe men, who found their match this time.
 
 198 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 
 
 " I say at once," he remarked, " that they in- 
 tended to make as much of me as possible by this 
 intended trip to Idda, so I determined to Usten to no 
 such story." 
 
 When he arrived Abokko, the great chief, of whom 
 we shall hear more anon, said he was glad to see him, 
 and told him that he, the Bishop, was a true man, 
 because his promise to come was not believed by the 
 King, and to disappoint his royal master by the ful- 
 filment of his promise was delightful to him. This 
 fussy sable functionary took care to be liberally 
 treated in the matter of presents, and the gift of a 
 fancy border white sheet, damask cushion, and 
 smoking cap, worked by the Reading Ladies' Working 
 Association at home, had evidently a gratifying and 
 profitable effect. The Bishop, in his journal, makes 
 a note here : 
 
 These articles being select, suitable for a king, and being 
 ladies' handiwork, I purposed to make the best use of them, 
 to convince the people and the King how superior civilized 
 nations are through knowledge and the reception of Chris- 
 tianity, and how low and inferior the condition of those who 
 are without them, and what they, both male and female, 
 may also be if they receive the Gospel. 
 
 In this place he was solemnly informed that it 
 was their belief that when their King or great chiefs 
 died they go to the white man's country and became 
 like him, travelling like a white man, and therefore 
 they regarded the Bishop as one of their own country- 
 men from the spirit world who had died. Abokko 
 was very anxious to know whether the white man's 
 country was not in the neighbourhood of God's
 
 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 199 
 
 residence (Paradise), and therefore much nearer 
 God than the black man ; also whether it is not 
 true that when the white man sees a person of note 
 he puts him in a book and carries him back to his 
 country, which perhaps was not altogether a bad 
 guess at the truth ! 
 
 The Bishop had a very interesting interview with 
 the Ata or King, after many excuses and much rather 
 clever diplomacy on the part of Abokko to keep them 
 apart. The reason for this was found to be a feeling 
 of terror lest the white man should take his photo- 
 graph, with dire results, as depicted by the wise men 
 of the court ! In dealing with this crafty old heathen 
 the Bishop had not only taken pains to specify the 
 objects of his visits, but to tell other people during 
 his enforced delay, so that the King might be fully 
 impressed and prepared to consider them. The last 
 of these applications was to this effect : 
 
 That as we intend establishing ourselves at Idda, I should 
 be glad if the Ata would take the ruinous state of a large 
 portion of his town into consideration and act as a king ought 
 to do, by calling together the elders of his country and con- 
 sulting to put an end to the quarrel between him and the 
 Abokko's family, recalling them to rebuild their houses, in 
 consideration of the good services to his country of their 
 grandfather, who was a worthy friend to the white men, for 
 our sake who now interpose ; but, above all, for God's sake, 
 who might never forgive us if He were to keep His anger 
 for ever. 
 
 It is really remarkable what influence the Bishop 
 had with these people; how, for example, in this 
 particular case the Ata entertained these rather 
 weighty demands for favour, and at once gave every
 
 200 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 
 
 facility for the erection of mission premises and the 
 furtherance of Christian work among his people. 
 Doubtless the fact of the Bishop being a black man 
 and understanding so much better the native mind 
 and customs added much to his success. The in- 
 evitable present also had its share in keeping the 
 royal mind in a good and peaceable humour. In 
 his turn he loaded the Bishop with gifts of kola nuts, 
 yams, and a sheep and goat, which were gladly ac- 
 cepted and were valuable, not so much perhaps 
 for their intrinsic worth as the expression they mani- 
 fested of friendly feeling. This interview ended 
 with a httle talk over this gift business, which the 
 Bishop thus notes in his journal : 
 
 I was thankful so far the Lord had given us success as to 
 enable us to see and gain the confidence of the Ata and his 
 people. But the King had been told that I had the sun (i.e. the 
 watch) about me, which he should like to see. I got up and 
 opened the watch, which I held to his ears that he might hear 
 it ticking plainly. I then opened the case that he might see 
 the working of the spring. The Ata had also been told of my 
 glass lantern, and he would be very glad if I would order one 
 like it for him, also a pair of long t)Oots, with a pair of spurs, 
 and a large umbrella. I wanted to see the size of his foot, 
 and he immediately took off his sandal, which articles I pro- 
 mised to order for him. 
 
 The curiosity of these great men in Africa knows 
 no bounds. On one occasion a king wanted to know 
 whether the great white Queen wore leather boots, 
 and in order to outshine her he told the Bishop to 
 order him a pair of boots made of brass, which his 
 visitor promised should be done when he had dis- 
 covered in London a maker of brass boots.
 
 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 201 
 
 On his arrival back at Ghebe the Bishop preached 
 to the people, and afterwards administered the Sacra- 
 ment, also baptized ten adults and seven children. 
 The journey over, the Bishop visited Bonny, in the Bight 
 of Biafra, and founded the first Delta station there. 
 It was an important opening, and destined to become 
 one of the most flourishing stations of the native 
 work. He recognized the great necessity of dealing 
 with that large and scattered population inhabiting 
 the swampy and malarial region of the Delta, where 
 the great river Niger loses itself in twenty-six branches, 
 spread out hke a gridiron, and intersected continually 
 by other smaller streams stretching from the lagoons 
 of Lagos at one end to the mouth of the Old Calabar 
 River on the other. This territory of dark super- 
 stition, with its one hundred and twenty miles of 
 sea front, and a depth landward of one hundred and 
 forty miles, was to be the immense parish of the Delta 
 mission. 
 
 Bonny had an evil reputation. Whilst its position 
 gave it natural advantages for trade in palm oil, 
 its people were most repulsive and degraded. Within 
 a few years of this visit of the Bishop cannibalism 
 was a common practice, human sacrifices were freely 
 offered on the death of a chief, the juju temples were 
 the scene of the most revolting customs, and were 
 paved and decorated with the skulls and bones of 
 their victims. Everywhere devilry and cruelty still 
 abounded, and the town was infested with huge 
 crawHng hzards, which had been created into deities, 
 and must not therefore be destroyed.
 
 202 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 
 
 However, to this, one of the vilest spots on earth, 
 full of the habitations of cruelty, the light of the Gospel 
 was to come. Its King, William Pepple, paid a visit 
 to the white man's land, and was actually in England 
 shortly before the consecration of the Bishop. This 
 king was so struck with the results of Christianity 
 and civilization that on his return he addressed a 
 letter to the Bishop of London, which document 
 was handed by him to the Church Missionary Society. 
 Fitting in with this remarkable chain of providential 
 events, this was the means of directing the Bishop 
 on his return to answer its requirements in person. 
 He gives us a good picture in his first impressions of 
 Bonny at this time : 
 
 The town of Grand Bonny is situated on the east side or 
 left bank of the river which bears its name, Ubain, on a tri- 
 angular point of a creek running eastward from the main 
 river. The chief part of the town is built on the bank of the 
 creek for the convenience of working and securing their 
 canoes, because the agitation of the waves is not so much 
 felt here as on the beach of the main river ; but the creek is 
 very muddy, for which the people seem to care very Uttle. 
 All the ships and hulks lay as near the point of the town 
 creek as possible, and consequently the chief scene of business. 
 
 The town being so flat, and almost on a level with the flow 
 tide, is very seldom perfectly dry, and when it rains it is very 
 soon saturated ; but, bad as it is, it can be improved. There 
 are a few good houses owned by chiefs. I had to walk over 
 the town many times to find an open dry space for a tempo- 
 rary schoolroom between three choices. After a Uttle ac- 
 quaintance with the localities I pitched upon the most suit- 
 able, it being somewhat good for our purposes. Here the 
 temporary schoolroom, fifty feet by twenty feet, is put up of 
 native materials. Near the schoolroom is a house hired for 
 the use of the mission agents, and thus the preliminary 
 arrangements to commence our operations are completed till 
 we can erect a permanent mission station outside the town,
 
 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 203 
 
 where we shall have sufficient room, sea breeze, the comforts 
 of dry and healthy ground, and of being separated from the 
 irregular habits of the population. About ten minutes' walk 
 from the town of Bonny I found a nice dry, sandy land, over- 
 grown with woods, four feet elevation above the spring tide. 
 Here I have chosen for the erection of a permanent mission 
 station. 
 
 This was, of course, written after the Bishop had 
 been received by King WilUam Pepple and the chiefs. 
 He was cordially welcomed, and obtained signed 
 agreements for the establishment of the mission. 
 After a short absence, visiting other places, the 
 Bishop came back to Bonny, bringing with him two 
 lay agents, who were lodged in an old hulk. The 
 Bahiamian, opening a day-school and preaching in 
 the streets and market place of the town. But the 
 Bishop insisted on having a proper abode on shore, 
 and an old chief known as the " Admiral " offered 
 two houses, which were promptly cleared of rubbish, 
 cleaned, and made suitable for habitation. The next 
 step was to build a big mud and wattle school-chapel, 
 capable of holding two hundred people, and finally 
 the Bishop discovered a good place for mission premises 
 to be permanently erected, and obtained the needful 
 permission. But the natives were aghast at the 
 choice, for it was what they called " a bad juju bush," 
 being a place which had been used for the bodies 
 of victims killed for sacrifice, also the rubbish heap 
 where twins were, according to their custom, flung 
 away to die. Cries were accordingly raised that if 
 the missionaries took this place the gods would be 
 angry. One could hardly imagine this horrid hovel
 
 204 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 
 
 to be a sacred shrine, and that these very trees were 
 invested with a mysterious character and power for 
 evil. The Bishop, however, was not the man to be 
 frightened away by these terrors, and when, in spite 
 of this pubhc remonstrance, he was allowed to have 
 the land, it was grudgingly granted at his own risk, 
 and the powers would not guarantee the consequences. 
 
 " Give us the ground," he said, " and leave us and 
 juju to settle the remaining palaver." 
 
 It was, however, no slight matter to get the evil 
 place cleared. The horrified people would not touch 
 a leaf of this sacred and yet infamous grove, and King 
 William Pepple sent his son with ten obedient men 
 to cut the bush ; but even this young prince, when he 
 arrived at the spot, asked to have a portion of Scripture 
 read, and somebody to kindly pray, as there were so 
 many evil spirits about to be disturbed. At last, 
 not without misgivings, they commenced to hew down 
 the branches, and meeting nothing of a supernatural 
 sort, grew bolder, and the place was soon made fit 
 for building purposes. When the mud school-chapel 
 was at last finished and opened with prayer and 
 thanksgiving, attention was drawn to a large copper 
 bell, three and a half feet in diameter, which for many 
 years had been lying on the ground in Bonny town. 
 How such a huge import from the white man's country 
 could have reached this place could only be explained 
 by the inscription which the Bishop deciphered as 
 follows : " William Dobson, founder, Downham, Nor- 
 folk, England. This bell was cast for Opooboo Foobra, 
 King of Grand Bonny, in the year 1824." Here,
 
 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 205 
 
 then, was an opportunity of utilizing tliis old bell — 
 once possibly half worshipped by the heathen, per- 
 haps used in their dreadful practices — for the service 
 of the new school-chapel erected for worship of the 
 true God. Chief Oko Jumbo, a name strangely 
 familiar, came forward, and, at his own expense, in 
 English fully twenty-four pounds, transferred it from 
 its resting-place in the mud to the roof of the mission 
 chapel. 
 
 One of the happiest days in Bonny, a direct result 
 of the preaching of the Gospel, was Easter Day, 1867, 
 when the worship of the lizard or guana was formally 
 and for ever renounced by the King and people. 
 The Bishop wrote the news home with a gladdened 
 heart, a remarkable story indeed when it is remembered 
 what a firm hold these creatures had upon the super- 
 stitious fears of the natives. Sir H. H. Johnston, 
 in his lecture before the Royal Geographical Society, 
 gave his invaluable testimony to this, when he was 
 pointing out that the animal worship was so real at 
 this time that the British authorities on the Oil 
 Rivers were compelled to afford it a certain recog- 
 nition. He goes on to tell us : 
 
 At Bonny the monitor lizards became a sickening nuisance. 
 They devoured the European's fowls, turkeys, ducks, and 
 geese with impunity ; they might lie across the road or the 
 doorways of houses with their six feet of length and savagely 
 lash the shins of people who attempted to pass them with 
 their whip-like serrated tails, and if you wounded or killed 
 one of them there was no end of a to-do. You were assaulted 
 or robbed by the natives, harangued by the consul on board 
 of a man-of-war, and possibly fined into the bargain. For its 
 effectual abolishment, which has been of the greatest benefit
 
 2o6 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 
 
 to the well-being of Europeans and natives alike, we owe our 
 thanks, not to the intervention of naval or consular officials, 
 nor to the bluff remonstrances of traders, but to the quiet, 
 unceasing labours of the agents of the Church Missionary 
 Society. 
 
 Now let the Bishop tell the story of the extirpation 
 of these privileged pests : 
 
 April 22, 1867. You will be glad to hear that yesterday, at 
 the mutual consent of myself and chiefs, the geedee or guana. 
 Bonny juju, was declared to be no longer Bonny juju, and 
 many of the townsmen are killing them. 
 
 No sooner was this renunciation made and orders given 
 to clear the town of them than many persons turned out in 
 pursuit of these poor reptiles, which had been so long idolized, 
 and now killed them as if it were in revenge, and strewed their 
 carcases all about in open places and in the markets by dozens 
 and scores ; fifty-seven were counted at one market-place, 
 where they were exposed to public view as a proof of the 
 people's conviction and former error, and that they were 
 determined to reform in good earnest in this respect. Every- 
 where one went the carcases of the guana met the sight. 
 There was another decision made respecting the removal of 
 the guanas. Lest any should hereafter say he had not had 
 some share in the extinction of the sacred reptile, it was de- 
 cided that some of the blood should be sprinkled into all the 
 wells in Bonny town to indicate that they had concurred not 
 only in its destruction, but also in its use as food. Many soon 
 after began to feed upon the flesh, roasted with fire. This 
 reminds me of the passage : " And he took the calf which 
 they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to 
 powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children 
 of Israel drink of it " (Exodus xxxii. 20). 
 
 The Bishop adds, however, that it could not be 
 expected that the people would have the same courage 
 and resolution as the King and his chiefs. Super- 
 stition dies hard, and after this it is not surprising 
 that the wells of water were shunned from a super- 
 stitious fear rather than disgust. The water girls
 
 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 207 
 
 were sent to the mission premises for supplies of 
 water from the only well unpolluted, and they came 
 in large numbers, their pitchers upon their heads, 
 and many in a state of nudity. The Bishop deter- 
 mined to make a protest against the habits of the 
 people in this respect, and refused to allow any to 
 draw water unless decently clothed, and this had 
 the desired effect. Not only had the people suffered 
 by these reptiles killing their chickens, but, as we 
 have seen, many persons had been beaten, and even 
 put to death for destroying these creatures heretofore. 
 It seems that having been protected for so many 
 years, these lizards had become quite tame, and 
 treated as domestic creatures, and it was, of course, 
 firmly believed that any injury done to them would 
 incur the wrath of the gods. It was useless to argue 
 against this idea ; the answer invariably was, " Your 
 country fashion be good for you, my country fashion 
 be good for me." Had it not been by the command 
 of the King and chiefs, the renunciation of the juju 
 worship would have been almost impossible. It 
 was the desire of the old King, William Pepple, to carry 
 out this drastic measure of reform in favour of Chris- 
 tianity, but he did not live to accomplish it ; but his 
 son, a worthy successor, was not slow in fulfilling 
 his father's wishes. After the old King's death his 
 son wrote to the Bishop to acquaint him of his sad 
 loss, and this letter, so very honourable to its writer 
 and very interesting, may be snatched from oblivion : 
 
 His life has been one of the most extraordinary and re- 
 markable kind for an African king. He was King in 1835 at
 
 2o8 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 
 
 the age of nineteen, and after reigning between nineteen and 
 twenty years he had a misunderstanding with the chiefs, 
 which made him go to Fernando Po, from thence to the island 
 of Ascension, and from thence to London, where he landed in 
 June, 1856, and resided there till June, 1861, when he set sail 
 for his native land, arriving in Bonny in August, and by God's 
 grace again ascended his rightful throne. Having seen Eng- 
 land, and having had even before his visit a wish to bring the 
 missionaries into his dominions, he instructed me to write to 
 the Bishop of London, who handed the letter over to you, 
 which made you visit Bonny in 1864, and the agreement was 
 drawn. The rest you know as well as I, and even better than 
 I do. I therefore do not repeat it. I am very glad to hear of 
 your prosperous visit to and return from the Niger, and that 
 the kings of the different countries down that river are up- 
 holding and introducing Christianity into their countries. As 
 for me, the work which my father has begun I will never (d.v.) 
 deny or desert. 
 
 Among many old records of this period of the 
 mission is the story, quite simply told, of the death 
 of a poor old woman known as Mammy Hagar, who 
 was converted under the ministry of Mr. Johnson, 
 the old missionary at Sierra Leone, to whom reference 
 has been made in an earlier chapter. Possibly she 
 was known to the Bishop ; in any case, she, like him- 
 self, was a liberated slave brought into this haven of 
 freedom by British cruisers about the same time as 
 he. She was very poor, ignorant as regards this 
 world's knowledge, but wonderfully wise in the grace 
 and knowledge of God, dependent upon a Government 
 allowance of twopence a day, supplemented by the 
 willing gifts of loving friends. Her life was one of 
 sweet and humble consistency, and not only a regular 
 attendant at the church, but in her poverty she 
 practised the grace of giving, and contributed her
 
 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 209 
 
 widow's mite, literally so, to the Church Missionary 
 Society, the Bible Society, and almost every object 
 pleaded for. She had a long and dangerous illness, 
 from which she returned shaken, but sufficiently 
 recovered, to the joy of the congregation. Then once 
 more the Divine Hand was laid upon her, and she 
 sickened unto death. Her faithful black pastor shall 
 tell the rest : 
 
 It was now that Jesus was glorified in His servant. Re- 
 duced to a mere skeleton, there she lay on a mat near the 
 ashes — literally so — the picture of a dying saint. Her sick 
 chamber became the scene of great encouragement. She said 
 to me on one occasion : " Heaven, sir, is not far ; heaven 
 live here," pointing to the palm of her hand. " I want to go 
 to rest." 
 
 Then she began to repeat, although she could not read a 
 letter of the alphabet (and this, by the way, shows how the 
 memories as well as the hearts of our people are well stored 
 with Bible knowledge), that beautiful text : " Come unto Me, 
 all ye that labour and are heavy laden." " Heavy laden," 
 she repeated. " Me, Hagar John, have rest, glory be to God." 
 All who were present, with myself, burst into tears. But she 
 turned round and said to me : " Master, my son, why do you 
 cry ? " I replied : " We all envy you. We would rather say, 
 like Paul, ' To be with Christ is far better.' " " No, no," she 
 said. " My son, my master, you have work to do. I am 
 going home ; mind your work. See Jesus near you " — point- 
 ing to the feet — " hold on, patience. Without patience no 
 man can see the Kingdom of Heaven." 
 
 After a short pause I replied, in her own words : " Heaven, 
 it is true, is not far ; it is quite near." She turned round and 
 said, with a feeling I shall not soon forget : " Master, it be 
 far, far from the wicked, but near, very near, to the righteous," 
 pointing to her palm again. 
 
 On another occasion when I visited her I read those beauti- 
 ful words of our Saviour : " Let not your heart be troubled." 
 As soon as I began she took it up, and repeated in broken bits, 
 if I may so speak, the first verse and part of the second, then 
 the latter part of the third, exactly like one who never learnt 
 P
 
 210 CONSECRATION AND AFTER 
 
 to read, but who could repeat bits of Scripture by rote. Wlien 
 she got to the end of the third verse slie said, with a conscious- 
 ness of being perfectly correct : " That in the 14th of St. John, 
 ist verse, not so ? " I replied in the af&rmative. She said : 
 " Jesus prepares fine, fine room for poor Hagar and fine, fine 
 clothes ; no trouble, no pain, no crying, no sin, for ever and 
 ever. Amen." 
 
 After this noble testimony to the value of Christ's Gospel 
 she spoke but very little. She rather wished not to be dis- 
 turbed, being in constant communion with God. Thus, after 
 a few days of weariness and suffering, she fell asleep — for it 
 was a falling asleep — in Jesus.
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 
 
 A SUNNY day of success in the mission field 
 often precedes a storm cloud, and showers 
 of suffering. God holds the fan, and when He wills 
 it He winnows the chaff from the grain. He knows 
 best when and how to treat His people. Sometimes 
 it is, as we guess at it, the premature snatching away 
 of a brave and capable young life, just gripping its 
 work with promise of success, or perchance the call 
 home of a veteran whose priceless experience and in- 
 fluence we must sorely miss. But at other times the 
 blow falls upon the flock ; some traitor leads in the 
 enemy, and heathenism, cruel, merciless, and fanatical, 
 sweeps in like a flood, and the cry of martyrdom is 
 heard, amid smoking sanctuaries and plundered homes. 
 It seems as though the toil of years was all in vain. 
 The field once golden with promise is bare, still the 
 scythe which reaped was held by a Hand of mercy ; 
 it is mown that it may bring forth more fruit. It is 
 said that after the forest fires of America there springs 
 a carpet of fair flowers which are never seen anywhere 
 but in this blackened ground. So from the ashes of 
 a consumed church, with its martyrdoms, grow other 
 
 211
 
 212 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 
 
 saintly and valiant lives. This is true not only of the 
 mass, but of the individual, for in the heart of every 
 man is mirrored, as on the glistening sphere of a 
 trembling dewdrop, the same experience of shadow 
 and shine, the sleep of sorrow and the dream of joy. 
 
 These reflections introduce us to an epoch in the 
 history of the Bishop and his beloved mission which 
 lies in the path of persecution. It will be remembered 
 with what pains he had laid the foundations of a 
 mission station at Ghebe, which from its position near 
 the Confluence was likely to make a useful place, 
 not only for mission work, but for purposes of trade 
 up the Niger. This town was not only adjacent to 
 a confluence of rivers, but it was a veritable confluence 
 of languages. The tribes from all parts met here ; in 
 its streets and markets might be heard Igara, Igbira, 
 Nupe, Kakanda, Yoruba, Doma, and Djuku — quite 
 a confusion of tongues, especially when several in 
 a loud key are talking at the same time. In his 
 journals the Bishop has spoken of the bright little 
 congregations, and the readiness of the people in 
 this flourishing town to hear the Gospel. It will be 
 imagined what dismay and disappointment filled the 
 minds of the readers of a letter from a native catechist, 
 writing from Lokoja, to say that the town of Ghebe 
 and its mission premises had been utterly destroyed. 
 One of those fierce tribal wars, which break out often 
 with little warning and as little excuse, brought the 
 combined forces of the Basses and Akaias party to its 
 gates. A battle was fought at a place called Obu ; 
 the men of Ghebe were defeated, and at once deserted
 
 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 213 
 
 the town, which was soon committed to the flames. 
 The British Consul, Mr. Fell, hastened to protect the 
 Christians, and saved their lives. Some managed to 
 get into the canoes which he sent for them for crossing 
 to Lokoja, others hurried into the bush and found 
 safety in flight over the surrounding country. Every- 
 thing was plundered, and, says the narrator, " Gliebe 
 is now a ruinous heap, and this important town is 
 swept away from the face of the earth." 
 
 The Bishop lost no time in visiting this scene of 
 desolation, noting how the natives had stolen what- 
 ever the fire had spared ; and confronting the two 
 rival chiefs in turn, he protested very strongly. 
 
 I made it a point (he writes) to show them what they were 
 doing to themselves and the people at large ; that God had 
 brought the way of peace to them, but they have chosen war ; 
 God had brought blessing and prosperity to them, but they 
 have abused it and did not appreciate these things ; that they 
 have deprived Ghebe, our first station at the Confluence, of 
 all the advantages it had above all other places — the privilege 
 of a place of worship, of civilization, and industry and trade, 
 all of which were introduced at great expense for the general 
 good of the country ; but they regarded them not. How 
 could they expect to prosper under such circumstances ? 
 
 This plain speaking seems to have had a good effect ; 
 at any rate the Bishop retired, as he says, leaving 
 " both parties under deep impression " of their 
 misdoings and the consequences. 
 
 About the same time a fierce fire broke out at the 
 mission premises of Onitsha. Some one had set fire 
 to a dry field of grass across which a strong wind blew, 
 in the direction of the mission buildings, which speedily 
 were enveloped in flame. Scarcely anything re-
 
 214 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 
 
 mained, but it was a relief to know that no lives were 
 lost. 
 
 But the most serious circumstance in these trying 
 experiences was the violent and disastrous change 
 in the situation at Abeokuta, although so far away. 
 Of course not strictly a part of the Niger mission, 
 the early establishment of Christianity in the city 
 " under the stone " had been so intimately associated 
 with the Bishop that the misfortunes which befell 
 the work interested him naturally very deeply. 
 
 The seat of the trouble seems to have been our 
 occupation of Lagos, and the subsequent Government 
 of that colony appears to have been unfortunate 
 enough to have excited the jealousy of the chiefs, 
 and especially of the Egbas, whose hostile action 
 had made the Government of Lagos take retaliatory 
 measures. It is needless at this point of time and in 
 this place to discuss the grounds of this contention ; 
 suffice to say that the Egba people, having gained 
 the support of a man from Sierra Leone, who seems 
 to have played a double game, found themselves in 
 open opposition to the policy of the Lagos authorities. 
 Mr. Townsend, the missionary for whom they had 
 such a deep regard, had returned to England for his 
 health, and during his absence things went from bad 
 to worse, when the brewing storm, which had ap- 
 parently a cause purely political, broke over the 
 Christians at Abeokuta. On a Sunday morning, 
 13 October, 1867, the town crier went through the 
 town prohibiting any native from assembling in 
 any churches or Sunday-schools, and, in spite of the
 
 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 215 
 
 protests of the missionaries, representing the Wesleyan 
 and Baptist, as well as the Church of England Society, 
 some minor chiefs gathered a mob and commenced 
 to ill-treat the Christians. They rushed into a prayer- 
 meeting of elderly women and stripped them, dragging 
 them round the room with blows ; they broke into 
 the mission premises, smashed the iron safe to pieces, 
 and distributed the money. On every side was 
 plundering and cruel outrage. The missionaries were 
 ordered to leave at once, and seeking an explanation 
 from the chief Akodun, were roughly told that Chris- 
 tianity had brought them wars and trouble, and that 
 the EngUsh at Lagos had treated the Egbas badly. 
 In the end the missionaries, a forlorn and sorrowful 
 group, leaving their plundered houses and ruined 
 homes behind, slowly left the town. 
 
 It is not easy to reahze, through the cool retrospect 
 of history, what all this meant to these faithful men. 
 They had been building up, bit by bit, what they 
 hoped would be a veritable city of God. Everything 
 seemed to promise so much, and from the bells of 
 their sanctuaries, and through the windows and open 
 doors the song of praise and thanksgiving had been 
 heard in Abeokuta. Now, carrying their sick, scoffed 
 at, robbed, their Bibles burnt, the blood of their 
 converts spilt, their hearts might indeed have fainted 
 within them, had it not been that their hope was in 
 God. 
 
 A few years later a wave of persecution reached 
 Bonny, and the converts began to suffer very bitterly 
 at the hands of their heathen masters. One or two
 
 2i6 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 
 
 instances will show how fiery was the ordeal, and how 
 faithfully these poor native Christians witnessed a 
 good confession, and laid down their lives for the 
 faith. The protomartyr of Bonny was Joshua Hart, 
 whose only offence was that he had renounced his 
 idols and worshipped the living God. It appears 
 that he was arrested and punished for the crime of 
 attending church on the Sunday, but he endured the 
 cruel treatment he received with patience and grace. 
 Then he was requested by his tormentors to participate 
 in some heathen rites, and to eat of things offered 
 in sacrifice to the gods, and this he refused to do. 
 Four men then caught him and flung him up in the 
 air, so that he might fall with heavy force to the 
 ground. This was done again and again, but Joshua 
 still refused to abjure Christ. Two other chiefs then 
 came forward and tried to reason with him, then to 
 offer him bribes, then to browbeat and threaten him. 
 But it was of no avail. In fearless words he answered : 
 " If my master requires me to do any work for him, 
 however hard,^ I will try my best to do it. If he even 
 requires me to carry the world itself on my head, 
 I will try if I can do it. But if he requires me to 
 partake of things sacrificed to the gods, I will never 
 do it." They then left him to the tender mercy of 
 his master, who took the poor fellow, bound him 
 hand and foot, into his canoe out on the river, to drown 
 him. All this time Joshua was praying, calling upon 
 Jesus to forgive his enemies. But this only enraged 
 his master the more. " See," said he to one of the 
 chiefs looking on, " see the person whom I am about
 
 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 217 
 
 to kill continues in doing the same thing against 
 which we are speaking." Then turning to his helpless 
 victim he shouted : " You be praying again ? Then 
 I will show you what prayer be ! " Thus saying 
 he flung him into the water, but he did not sink. 
 So he was hauled out again, shaken, and asked 
 if he would recant ; but Joshua, like his great name- 
 sake, recalled the promise, " Be not afraid, neither 
 be thou dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee," 
 and refused to deny his Lord. Once more his body 
 was hurled into the river, his head barbarously beaten 
 with a paddle, and as a finishing stroke he was thrust 
 through with a sharp-pointed pole. 
 
 It would be easy to enumerate the cases of many 
 other martyrs, not always suffering such an open 
 and violent death, for some of these rufftans began to 
 get a wholesome fear of English interference, and 
 therefore when they caught their Christian prisoners, 
 they secretly hurried them away into the solitary 
 bush, far from any chance of their cries being heard, 
 and left them, stripped naked, exposed to the torment 
 of the sand flies and mosquitoes which infested the 
 place. In some instances it was slow starvation, 
 as in the case of a poor canoe man, who, refusing to 
 eat meat offered to idols, saying, " My master, I am 
 on God's side, therefore I cannot eat things offered 
 to idols," was carried away, with strict orders to his 
 guards that not a drop of water or morsel of food 
 be given him, so he died in six days. It is possible 
 that some may think these converts might easily 
 have saved their lives had they taken a more liberal
 
 2i8 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 
 
 view of things, and not sacrificed their safety on the 
 turning of a text, for thus men may miss martyrdom 
 in the white man's land. But this was the test upon 
 which their whole loyalty was tried, and, hke the 
 Diocletian martyrs, who would have scorned to put 
 a pinch of incense at the foot of Diana, they preferred 
 to die rather than deny the Christ. 
 
 They climbed the steep ascent to heaven 
 
 'Mid sorrow, toil, and pain ; 
 O God, to us may grace be given 
 
 To follow in their train. 
 
 While the flock suffered the shepherd was not to 
 go unscathed. Although, happily, the Bishop es- 
 caped with his hfe, the incident of his being forcibly 
 kidnapped for ransom by the treachery of his pre- 
 tended friend, Abokko, a chief of whom we have 
 heard something already, was an exciting and perilous 
 event in his career. After his usual fashion he kept 
 a private diary of these dangerous adventures, and 
 the story cannot be told better than in his own vivid 
 words. He was travelling up the Niger on one of 
 his missionary journeys in September, 1867. 
 
 Being assisted by the sail, he made a pleasant passage of 
 fourteen miles against the current of about six hours, when 
 he arrived at Oko-Okien, where Abokko has stationed him- 
 self. A canoe preceded us and halted at the landing-place. 
 The headman of it told me this was Abokko's place, so I put 
 in and landed, accompanied by one of my boatmen, to pay 
 the chief my respects. The path led through a high dawa 
 (native corn) farm in a winding direction, till we came to the 
 group of huts which formed the farm village. I met him in 
 a miserable low hut, dark and gloomy as a prison. He looks 
 as cross as if he had suffered from serious disasters. We being 
 old friends, I saluted him, but his reception was repulsive ; 
 the tone of his answer betokened something wrong. I asked
 
 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 219 
 
 after his health, to which he repUed. The first question he 
 asked me was : " Where are my presents ? " I replied : 
 " What presents ? " While we were thus exchanging words 
 I heard a rush outside of men running up towards the boats ; 
 the boatmen had all been apprehended to be put in irons. 
 He at once went out of the hut and I after him down to the 
 water side ; his men had already commenced plundering the 
 boat. He ordered the boat to be cleared of everything in her. 
 Resistance on my part would be of no avail among a lot of 
 strong, rude slave men, so I ordered Dandeson, my son, and 
 Mr. Moore, the bricklayer, out of the boat, and thus let them 
 do as they pleased. The boat was cleared of everything, sail 
 and mast, and was conveyed to the creek in charge of keepers ; 
 the packages were conveyed into his new hut to be examined 
 at his leisure. As he was in a state of anger and passion, I 
 said nothing to him till towards the evening, when all the 
 confusion was over. He had been busy in examining every 
 package, parcel, and provision box, to see their contents and 
 what would profit him most. Our personal luggage consisted 
 of my small tin box containing some wearing apparel, my 
 surplice, some accounts, papers, and books, and fifty pounds 
 in gold and silver coins to wind up the salaries of the agents 
 at Lokoja ; Dandeson's portmanteau, containing his wearing 
 apparel and sketches he had made in the river ; the provision 
 box and our bedding, and 16,000 cowries to buy provisions on 
 the way. These constituted our chief luggage, having taken 
 the precaution to take only what was really necessary to 
 prevent serious losses in case of an accident, as above stated. 
 
 When he was tired he went and lay down on his mat out- 
 side the hut to rest himself. I took the opportunity of his 
 quietness and addressed him : " Abokko, what was my 
 offence that you served me so strangely to-day ? " He re- 
 plied : " You have committed no offence whatever." I 
 replied if I had committed no offence I could not account 
 for his hostility against me, in seizing my boat and plunder- 
 ing all my luggage in such an unexpected manner, especially 
 when I put in to pay him my respects as a friend. Then 
 Abokko poured forth a long string of complaints which had 
 moved him to act as he did. 
 
 (i) That he, although superintendent of the board of trade 
 in this part of the river, was not recognized by the English 
 merchants ; that he was slighted by being made only small 
 and paltry presents, unworthy of high rank ; neither would
 
 220 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 
 
 the ships open trade with him ; that he went on board last 
 year, as also this year, but they would not trade with him. 
 
 (2) That three ships had visited the river this year (taking 
 the Thomas Bazeley's two trips to be two different ships), yet 
 none would recognize him. Although the small ship {Investi- 
 gator) stopped at Idda and gave handsome presents to the 
 Atta, yet he who owns the river and all the Oibos who travel 
 on it was contemptuously overlooked ; that as I knew all 
 things about him, I ought to have represented them to the 
 gentlemen of the ship's property ; that as I had not done so 
 he would not let me go till such a time as large presents were 
 given him and trade opened with him. 
 
 No explanation that I could give would satisfy Abokko. 
 In vain I assured him that it was beyond my power to control 
 trading affairs or arrange with other departments what pre- 
 sents to give or where or with whom to trade. Abokko said 
 he knew well that I possessed the establishments at Lokoja, 
 Idda, Onitsha, Bonny, etc., and he beUeved that I owned the 
 ships also and could direct them as I pleased. All my attempts 
 to explain to Abokko the wide difference between mission 
 stations and trading estabhshments belonging to a company 
 of merchants were of no avail. He demanded three boatloads 
 of goods for each of the three ships to effect my release. I re- 
 ferred him to Idda station, where there is not as yet a trading 
 establishment, as a specimen of my other stations at Lokoja 
 and Onitsha. In that station I saw no traffic going on but 
 the simplicity of missionary work, but that would not satisfy 
 him. 
 
 I can well account for such erroneous, perhaps wilful, 
 attributing of such power and influence over the ships and 
 training establishments to me. It arises from my being the 
 oldest visitor known in the river. Since 1841 I have been 
 always seen on board, whether in a man-of-war or a trading 
 ship, as a passenger among the natives. To visit the river 
 every year, and yet not to own the ships or the trading estab- 
 lishments, was what Abokko could not be easily made to 
 believe. 
 
 A pure missionary object, unconnected with any selfish 
 object, is beyond the comprehension of such avaricious men 
 as Abokko, although there are hundreds of persons who could 
 warmly support my statements as correct, having visited all 
 our mission stations and seen the line of demarkation between 
 them and training establishments as marked as light from
 
 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 221 
 
 darkness. I enter into such a statement to excuse Abokko, 
 if, indeed, he were under a misapprehension after what he 
 attributed to me ; but if this were a mere pretence, and his 
 purpose were to make me a bait to satisfy his cupidity, I can 
 only pity the man, because he shall have to answer for his con- 
 duct to a higher power, except he repent before God. 
 
 To proceed. The night came on ; no impression could be 
 made upon Abokko to change his tone or soften his treatment. 
 He sent me and party to take our quarters in an open shed, 
 occupied by his canoe boys, on a mat laid on the damp ground, 
 which served us for a bed for the night, without a morsel 
 even of yam or corn to satisfy the cravings of nature. When 
 I sent to ask for some of my own yams which had been plun- 
 dered in the boat, Abokko said he was not aware before that 
 Oibos were in the habit of eating late in the evening, and so 
 we had to go without. We passed the night just as we jumped 
 out of the boat ; one of Abokko's slaves, pitying our condi- 
 tion, offered me his country cloth for a covering. I admired 
 his tender feelings and self-denial, thanked him, and begged 
 him to keep it for his own use. One of my boatmen took off 
 his tobe and gave it to me for a pillow, as he had another 
 cloth to cover himself with. I accepted that for Dandeson, 
 whose head was on bare ground, I having a small raised earth 
 under my head, softened with my cap. Thus we passed the 
 night ; I need not say sleeplessly, for my thoughts were full 
 of these unexpected trials and the difficult situation into 
 which I so ignorantly but innocently walked, without the 
 least apprehension of treachery from such a quarter. But 
 the God of mercies will interpose. 
 
 Abokko is practically known as an insatiable, covetous, 
 greedy, grasping person ; he is vindictive, cruel, and treacher- 
 ous. On these accounts all his younger relatives, who ought 
 to have supported his influence, deserted him, because he 
 always took away from them, while he gave them nothing in 
 return. In money matters he is shunned by all, no one having 
 any confidence in him. What he receives from one and all 
 are empty compliments, which covild not better his outward 
 circumstances. On account of some arbitrary conduct of his 
 he incurred the King's displeasure, so he quietly deserted the 
 town of Idda and stationed himself here at Oko-Okien. 
 
 Since my detention here I have been told in confidence 
 that Abokko had planned an attack on the Thomas Bazeley 
 while she was aground in this neighbourhood, but could not
 
 222 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 
 
 carry it out for want of men to support him ; that his visit 
 to the ship was a mere one of inspection to satisfy liimself of 
 the possibility or otherwise of the attempt. This opened my 
 eyes as to what was concealed under his pretended kindly 
 invitation to me to come on shore to see his new house ; it 
 was that he planned to entrap me. 
 
 Sept. 20. The boat sail was ripped into pieces from its 
 cordage ; a part of it has become Abokko's verandah screen 
 against the rays of the afternoon sun. All our packages have 
 been examined and their contents plundered. Abokko was so 
 anxious to receive the three boatloads of goods before my 
 release that he readily accepted the proposal of one of the 
 boatmen to take a letter to Lokoja in a small canoe to apprize 
 our friends there of our situation. That I might be able to 
 represent the matter properly he gave me access to my tin 
 paper-box, which, however, he would not allow me to carry away 
 from under his eye ; so I wrote to the consul from the threshold 
 of his hut to hasten the message. I wished to take my Bible 
 away from the box ; he refused, and demanded my keys. 
 
 In the evening I returned to ask for a pair of strong shoes 
 for Dandeson, as he had on but a thin pair of slippers in the 
 boat when travelling. I succeeded in getting two pairs, one 
 for each of us, as well as our bedding. We were particularly 
 thankful for the blankets. What he had already plundered 
 from us, and what he was in expectation of receiving from 
 Lokoja for our release, seemed to put him somewhat into good 
 humour to-day, so that he easily let me have the shoes and 
 bedding. 
 
 Sept. 21. Abokko was rather out of temper to-day ; he 
 repelled me in everything I asked of him, even although it 
 was a portion of our own luggage, so I left him alone. Many 
 of his slaves censured their master's treacherous acts to me, 
 his acknowledged old friend. They not only confessed their 
 feelings of the wrong done to me, but showed them by kind 
 actions. One presented us with two fowls and restored one 
 of Dandeson's shirts plundered in the boat ; others brought 
 eatables and beer, brewed from dawa corn, to present to us ; 
 some, again, would fetch yams and Indian corn, and soap for 
 us to wash with ; while their master was as unfeeling as a 
 rock. That these little acts of kindness were very much to 
 our relief I need not say, considering that the chief only sent 
 us yams at times, and he cared not how we ate them, broiled 
 or roasted or raw, whether with salt or not. I often told
 
 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 223 
 
 Dandcson that these slave boys and tender-feeling females 
 were our ravens which brought us daily food as it was needed. 
 Should it please God to give me the opportunity, these small 
 acts of kindness of these poor oppressed slaves shall not pass 
 unrewarded. A help in need is a help indeed. 
 
 Sept. 22. Lord's Day. No Bible, no scraps of any book 
 whatever in hand to read, I felt what it was to be deprived 
 of the means of grace. I did not like to ask Abokko for any 
 more things so soon after the refusal of yesterday. However, 
 we took comfort by repeating such passages of God's Word as 
 were applicable to our case. I waited till about noon, and 
 then went to salute Abokko. I met a Mohammedan visitor 
 with him. I told him to-day was " Aladi " (Sunday), when 
 the people of God throughout the world met to read, sing, and 
 pray to God, but here I was, having no scrap of book in my 
 hand to perform my parts and duties of this day. Abokko 
 appeared startled, and said : " Why did you not come for 
 your books early in the morning ? " I replied as he was out of 
 temper yesterday he might think me too troublesome in asking 
 for too many things ; but he said he never put a hindrance 
 in the way of worshipping God. That would be acting against 
 his own life ; so saying, he immediately ordered my tin box 
 to be brought out with the keys, which I opened, apparently 
 untouched ; so I took out my Bible, Prayer Book, and John- 
 son's pocket dictionary and a blank pocket-book to write 
 notes in during the week. The Mohammedan visitor could 
 not refrain from begging me to sell him some paper. Although 
 stripped of everything as I was, to satisfy him I tore a leaf 
 out of the book and presented it to him. I returned to our 
 shed with these books as new treasures. How strikingly 
 appropriate were many portions of Scripture, which we 
 opened and read here, to our situation. It appeared as if a 
 door of communication with the Comforter were just opened 
 to refresh us in a weary land. 
 
 Sept. 23. Four of my boatmen being restless and suspected 
 of planning an escape, were put in irons. Abokko intended, 
 no doubt, to make as much as he possibly could of this oppres- 
 sive and treacherous seizure. 
 
 Sept. 24. Abokko sent me some yams this morning for 
 our meal, and with them two small pieces of smoke-dried fish, 
 for the first time in the way of a meal since the 19th ; but 
 God has provided for us otherwise through his slaves, who 
 always gave us such necessaries as their scanty means allowed.
 
 224 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 
 
 He had made an offering of fish to his idol to-day, and was 
 generous enough to send me some bits of it soaked in palm oil 
 as my share. I returned it with the message that I never ate 
 anything offered to an idol as sacrifice ; that I was thankful 
 and satisfied with the unprepared pieces he had sent in the 
 morning. He then said it might be given to some of my boys 
 to eat, but as none were disposed to partake of such a thing 
 it was pitched into the bush by one of them. 
 
 To-day was Dandeson's birthday, the twenty-fourth year 
 of his age. How different was this to his former birthdays, 
 kept among his relatives and friends, who congratulated and 
 wished him many happy returns ; but it took place this time 
 in a shed on the bank of the Niger, where we are detained by 
 a covetous chief to satisfy his greedy desire to get money in 
 order to force goods from the merchants at our expense. Far 
 away as he was from home and relatives, except myself, and 
 friends and from all comforts, my wishes for him on this occa- 
 sion were that he might be permitted to see many a return of 
 the day, to which this of his captivity in his first career of 
 missionary life might be the beginning of a new era. We were 
 thankful that what has befallen us met us in the path of duty 
 in our Master's cause. 
 
 Sept. 25. Visited Abokko, as I had not done so yesterday. 
 He seemed sobered down a good deal in his high expectation 
 of receiving the boatload of goods by the non-arrival of the 
 canoe from Lokoja. Of course, I had written to the friends 
 there not to send anything in an open boat or canoe, because 
 they would be sure to be plundered on their way down, and 
 there would be no end of buying and paying. 
 
 I feel convinced that the time wasted here, together with 
 the losses and inconveniences we have suffered, will be more 
 than counterbalanced by the good which will result from the 
 treacherous conduct of Abokko. As he never gave me cowries, 
 I asked for a loan of 2000 to buy some little articles, such as 
 palm oil, salt, and pepper for our meal, which I promised to 
 pay as soon as matters were settled. He readily lent them on 
 that condition. 
 
 Towards the afternoon the Atta's messenger made his 
 appearance by land on horseback to ascertain whether the 
 news which had reached him about my detention and plunder 
 by Abokko were true. The messenger had a long talk with 
 the chief all night till about the first cock-crowing, the result 
 of which 1 could not tell. However, he used his influence, and
 
 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 225 
 
 got a plate, a spoon, and a fork from Abokko for my use, a 
 luxury which I had not enjoyed during the last seven days. 
 The messenger's plan was to wait and send the Atta another 
 messenger to inform the King of the state of things, but he 
 changed his mind. 
 
 Sept. 26. Having ascertained what things were plundered 
 from me, he left early for Idda to inform the King personally. 
 The Atta's messenger had scarcely left about three hours 
 when Abbega, the consul's messenger, arrived in a canoe from 
 Lokoja with a kind and encouraging letter to me and some 
 handsome presents and a letter to Abokko, requesting him to 
 let me go up to Lokoja, which Abokko positively refused to 
 listen to unless I purchased my life at the value of two hun- 
 dred slaves. I had no voice in the matter, as others had taken 
 it in hand. Since my detention I made him no promise to pay 
 him anything for my release, nor did I show any anxiety about 
 my painful situation, so he could have nothing to allege as 
 being promised by me. After much long talk with Abbega 
 and party he determined to take no less for my release than 
 one thousand bags of cowries, equal to £1000, the value on 
 the Niger ; and he was thinking of charging another ;^iooo 
 for Dandeson's release as he was my son, and I was able to 
 pay the amount. However, the mediators over-ruled this, 
 and he agreed for ^^looo for the release of all the party. 
 This amount he wanted to be paid in coral beads, velvets, 
 white satins, and cowries. At the return of Abbega I wrote 
 the letter to the consul, which Abbega took away next morn- 
 ing, promising to be back on Tuesday, i October (d.v.). It 
 was then proposed that Dandeson and Mr. Moore should go 
 to Lokoja with Abbega to lessen our number, but he, in a 
 filial manner and as a dutiful son, would not leave me to 
 remain alone, so I sent Mr. Moore with Abbega. 
 
 Sept. 28. The Thomas Bazeley very unexpectedly arrived 
 early this morning with W. Fell, Esq., under the consul's flag, 
 having met Abbega on the way with my letter to the consul, 
 and anchored opposite the village. Mr. Fell landed, accom- 
 panied by W. V. Rolleston, Esq., late of the 2nd West Indian 
 Regiment, being passenger on board, together with my two 
 sons, Abbega, and some of Masaba's men. They immediately 
 communicated with me, and told me their already prearranged 
 plan to take us away without paying anything for our release. 
 I advised that Mr. Fell should see Abokko and hear for him- 
 self what he really wanted, that he might satisfy himself as 
 Q
 
 226 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 
 
 regards the price charged ; at the same time to assure the 
 chief that I have no influence over the merchants, the chiefs, 
 or trading affairs, my simple business being to teach the people 
 God's Book, in the which work I was engaged when he seized 
 my boat, plundered my luggage, and detained me. Mr. Fell 
 did so, and promised the chief handsome presents if he let 
 him take me on board with him ; but Abokko was stiff and 
 insolent, and refused to let me go a foot till the value of ;^iooo 
 was paid down, Mr. Fell having satisfied himself as to the 
 extravagant nature of the charge demanded, determined not 
 to give such a covetous rebel against his own King encourage- 
 ment to do worse in future, the more so as men of like stamp 
 with himself would be encouraged to act in like manner ; 
 boats employed in communication between one trading 
 establishment and another would be seized upon, and the 
 plunderers' next step would be to set any value they might 
 fancy on the crew of such a boat for their release, which would 
 be, indeed, another kind of slave traffic in the persons of 
 British subjects. He urged me to go at once into the boat. 
 As others had thought for me and had deliberately arranged 
 their plans, I yielded, and we ran into the boat. During the 
 excitement of shoving ofE the natives fired muskets and shot 
 poisoned arrows after us, at which time Mr. Fell received a 
 mortal wound from a barbed poisoned arrow, which I very 
 much regretted. Mr. Rolleston took direction of the boat, 
 which was covered by firing from the ship. On our arrival 
 on board the ship immediately weighed, while every attention 
 possible was paid to extract the arrow from Mr. Fell's side. 
 When the ship was within a very short distance from Lokoja 
 poor Mr. Fell expired. It would have been more satisfactory 
 to me, had such been the will of God, had I been shot and my 
 dead body taken to Lokoja instead of his. But Mr. Fell had 
 acted gallantly, zealously, and praiseworthily in his deter- 
 mination never to lower the honest character of British mer- 
 chants by paying a covetous rebel the sum of ;^iooo to en- 
 courage a treacherous breach of confidence, friendship, and 
 hospitality. This is not the first time that I have travelled 
 in an open boat. I never shrank from the pursuit of my duty 
 from mere personal exposure to dangers common to all tra- 
 vellers by land or by water, but I never expected such treachery 
 from a professed friend ; against this I could not guard.
 
 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 227 
 
 The Bishop never failed to express his gratitude 
 
 for any kindness, and an old letter has turned up 
 
 in which he thanks Colonel Rolleston for his brave 
 
 part in his rescue at this time : 
 
 River Nun, 15 Oct., 1867. 
 H. V. Rolleston, Esq., 
 Mission House, Akassa. 
 
 My dear Sir, — Permit me to express my feelings of un- 
 feigned gratitude for your kind and active assistance rendered 
 to deliver us out of treacherous Abokko at Oke-Okein. The 
 more I think of your succour, covering me with your person, 
 and hastening me into the boat to our middle in water, the 
 greater obligation I shall ever feel for the sacrifice you had 
 made by thus defending me ; you exposed yourself to per- 
 sonal dangers such as had happened, to my great regret, to 
 our much lamented friend, Mr. W. Fell. 
 
 I feel persuaded that if I had offended Abokko in any way 
 you would not have hesitated to make apology on my behalf 
 to appease him or to subscribe towards making satisfaction 
 for such an offence ; but as you were perfectly aware of the 
 covetous, treacherous motives of that rebel chief for seizing 
 my boat, and detaining me when I unsuspectingly landed to 
 salute him as a friend, to be charged to pay such enormous 
 sum as a price of his breach of confidence and friendship, and 
 more than enough to arouse in your mind just feeling of high 
 indignation against his unbounded avarice. 
 
 Had you not from pity acted in such a decided manner, in 
 all probability our liberations would have been long delayed, 
 and the committee of the Church Missionary Society would 
 have been left in long and anxious suspense as to what has 
 become of us in the hand of piratical Abokko unless the 
 amount charged was paid. 
 
 May your life be long spared, and in God's all-wise Provi- 
 dence you may be an instrument, directly or indirectly, by 
 devising plans, to do much good for the improvement of the 
 tribes of these large and populous parts of Africa. 
 
 I remain, my dear Sir, 
 
 Yours thankfully, 
 
 S. A, Crowther, 
 
 Bishop, Niger Territory.
 
 228 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 
 
 To show how deeply the children of the Bishop 
 cherished the memory of this good friend, here is 
 a letter from his married daughter, addressed to 
 Mrs. Rolleston : 
 
 Lagos Grammar School, 
 
 1 6 November, 1867. 
 
 Dear Mrs. Rolleston, — I would not have taken the liberty 
 of writing to you, being a perfect stranger, had I not been 
 asked to do so by your dear husband, to accompany a few 
 trifles I send for your dear children. I trust Mr. Rolleston 
 has reached you safely and mentioned to you the invaluable 
 service he has done for our family in the rescue of our dear 
 father from the hands of wicked Abokko. 
 
 Mr. RoUeston's name is immortalized in our family, and is 
 mentioned every day. 
 
 I send you one of my bracelets as a curiosity, and all to 
 put you in mind of the same event. It is the palm nut carved, 
 and may have got discoloured before it reached you ; a little 
 oil rubbed on will give it its black colour again. 
 
 Trusting you are enjoying good health with your family, 
 and with respects to Mr. Rolleston and yourself, 
 I am, dear Mrs. Rolleston, 
 Yours respectfully, 
 
 Abigail Crowther Macaulay. 
 
 It might be naturally expected that the Atta, 
 King of Idda, with whom the Bishop was on such 
 good terms, and whose father was a friend of the 
 work, would have taken some steps to punish this 
 traitor who had kidnapped the Bishop. But, un- 
 happily, Mr. Coomber, who was in charge of the 
 mission station at Idda, discovered that the Atta 
 had been quite bought over by Abokko, and, probably 
 at that all-night sitting in the hut, when his messenger 
 came to discuss the situation, it was arranged that 
 the ransom of £1000, when received for the Bishop's 
 release, should be divided between them. Already
 
 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 229 
 
 when Mr. Coomber went to see the Atta, he had 
 recognized in his hut some of the plundered property 
 which had been received, the Bishop's tea-kettle, 
 a pair of elastic-side boots, and a cap. Later on 
 this crafty ruler showed his hand more clearly by 
 telling the missionary that Abokko was coming 
 to plunder and destroy the mission, and he could 
 promise it no protection after the Thomas Bazeley 
 had arrived. When the Bishop came and learned 
 the state of affairs, he saw no alternative but to 
 abandon the station, and without delay the workers, 
 with their wives and children, were got on board, 
 having had to leave all their furniture, books, and 
 belongings to the rapacity of the people, who were only 
 waiting, fully armed, to seize the spoil. So in sorrow 
 the mission station at Idda was relinquished with the 
 keenest regret. 
 
 A very touching letter was written to the Bishop 
 by the native pastors at Lokoja, expressing their 
 sympathy with him in his forcible and cruel detention 
 by the chief Abokko, which with one common feeling 
 both heathen, Mohammedans, and Christians decried 
 with indignation : 
 
 Be assured, Right Rev. and dear Sir, that in your suffer- 
 ing fervent prayers were offered up at the throne of Grace 
 on your behalf, and none were more glad than we in observing 
 that our prayers had not been in vain. We are hereby en- 
 couraged in our reliance on the promises of God : " When 
 thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee : when 
 thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned ; 
 neither shall the flame kindle upon thee ..." 
 
 In your patient endeavour of the distress in which you 
 were placed we have a bright example of suffering all things
 
 230 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 
 
 for Christ's sake, and whenever we are called upon to suffer 
 any like calamity for the Cross of Christ our Master we shall 
 inevitably think of your sufferings and take courage. And, 
 oh ! may we have the measure of grace which has hitherto 
 characterized your deportment under the most painful cir- 
 cumstances. And we do not fail here to convey our sympathy 
 also with your dutiful son, who, though young and unaccus- 
 tomed to privations, yet braved them when called to do so in 
 order that you might not be too much anxious for his sake, 
 and so add sorrow upon sorrow. 
 
 One of the great obstacles in the way of Christianity 
 in the mission field is the dark and superstitious 
 customs which are part and parcel of the lives of the 
 people. For generations these practices have taken 
 hold on the consciences of the heathen, who are priest- 
 ridden and live in daily mortal fear. In some in- 
 stances, as regards animal sacrifices, there is much 
 that is akin to the Levitical usage among the ancient 
 Jews, and the Bishop notices this fact as a foundation 
 to work upon in preaching the doctrine of sacrifice 
 and substitution " through the precious blood of 
 Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without 
 spot." He refers to this in giving his clergy some 
 valuable advice in his first charge : 
 
 Whoever observes the rite of animal sacrifices as performed 
 by the heathen in this country cannot but be struck with the 
 similarity, in many cases, though rudely done, with the 
 Levitical Institution. For instance, the application of the 
 blood of the victims on the person of the offerer, or on his 
 forehead, with a tuft of the hair of the beast or feathers of the 
 bird, most frequently of the pigeon, attached to the blood on 
 the forehead, which must remain on him till it dries and falls 
 off ; the application of the blood on the door and doorposts 
 and on the lintels ; the share of the priests ; and the parts 
 which must be taken out into the highway to be exposed to 
 the evil spirits, intended to be pacified or propitiated, remind-
 
 FETISH HOUSE AT AXGIA.MA 
 
 To face page 230
 
 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 231 
 
 ing one especially of the portion of the burnt offering whose 
 ashes must be conveyed to some place without the camp, 
 and as we have lately discovered at Onitsha, the yearly human 
 sacrifice for the sin of the nation. All these cannot but lead 
 one back to conclude that these rites must have their remote 
 origin from imitation of the Levitical institution of sacrifices, 
 which have degenerated as they were handed down from the 
 tradition of the fathers. 
 
 But it may be said of some of their customs that 
 they have no relation whatever to such a sacred 
 principle, but are merely the outgrowth of cruel 
 ideas, springing apparently from most trivial grounds, 
 but none the less disastrous to human life and happi- 
 ness. Take, for example, the destruction of twin 
 children, which practice, however, varies in different 
 localities, from the Brass and Idzo districts, where 
 it is usual to spare the firstborn and destroy the second ; 
 the Bonny and Ibo districts, where both children are 
 relentlessly killed, and the district of Old Calabar, 
 where not only are both children destroyed, but the 
 mother is banished from her native village, and never 
 allowed to return. And yet, strange to say, in the 
 Yoruba country, of which the Bishop was a native, 
 twins were the object of worship and reverence. 
 
 This frightful custom became a very serious diffi- 
 culty at the Bonny mission station. The missionaries 
 were made aware of it by seeing numbers of women 
 coming to the mission yard to take water from the 
 well. On inquiry information was given that a birth 
 of twins was the occasion when all the water in the 
 pots during that night or day in town is to be poured 
 out, and even the food cooked is to be thrown away.
 
 232 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 
 
 Hence " a horrible thing is committed in the land." 
 The poor unfortunate mother is openly abused for 
 having insulted the gods, because it is in the nature 
 of animals to beget more than one. On the very 
 mention of the name " twin " the poor superstitious 
 women generally whirl their hands over their heads 
 and snap their fingers with horror, meaning, " This 
 evil must not rest on me." 
 
 The missionaries realized that an attack must be 
 made on this shocking custom, the national super- 
 stition with its attendant miseries. So the Bishop 
 took up the subject in the King's courts, in the presence 
 of the chiefs, and quietly but firmly exposed the 
 foolishness and evil of such practices. They had 
 their answer ready, however, " It is our country's 
 fashion." On the following Sunday the Bishop 
 preached from Genesis xxv. 23 : " And the Lord 
 said unto her. Two nations are in thy womb." After 
 this very explicit discourse the crusade against the 
 custom began in right earnest. Everywhere, in 
 meetings, visitations, prayers, pulpit, social talks, 
 this evil was roundly denounced. At last, in answer 
 to many fervent and effectual prayers to God, a 
 great event occurred. The King and chiefs one day 
 held a solemn council upon the question, and passed 
 a law that as the national constitution will never 
 recognize the existence of twins in the town, any one 
 hereafter happening to be so unfortunate should 
 call the missionaries to take the children away to 
 the mission station, about a quarter of a mile distant, 
 where they shall make themselves solely responsible
 
 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 233 
 
 for the vengeance of the offended gods. This amiable 
 piece of legislation, which adroitly kept the custom, 
 but transferred the penalty for its disregard, was a 
 bit of mother-wit on the part of these African sages. 
 But the missionaries did not mind ; they were not 
 scared by the thunderbolts of these deities, and they 
 gladly sent for their watchers to be on the spot and 
 ready when the double blessing visited any house. 
 The juju priest, however, disagreeing with the enact- 
 ment, had his pickets posted too, and managed to 
 achieve a massacre of the innocents like a little Herod 
 before the rescuers came. The following instance will 
 show with what difficulty this legal act of mercy could 
 be made operative. 
 
 One morning about five o'clock there came a rap 
 at the mission house door, and two converts had 
 come to give the information that in a certain house 
 a woman had just given birth to twins. The 
 mission party at once sallied forth ; two pastors were 
 sent indoors to protect the infants, while the son of 
 the Bishop, the present Archdeacon, ran to the most 
 influential chief, Oko Jumbo, and told him how he 
 had come to take charge of twins born that morning, 
 according to the new legal arrangement. The old 
 chief was not, however, to be hurried, and took time 
 to consult with his fellow-senators, and finally gave 
 permission, sending an aged and extremely nervous 
 woman to assist. The secret had been well kept up 
 to now, but at seven o'clock, while the hapless little 
 waifs were being prepared for the journey, a wild 
 mob of fifty men, armed with clubs and cutlasses,
 
 234 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 
 
 led by this particular juju priest, began to belabour 
 the door. Not a moment was to be lost. The pastors 
 seized the babies and jumped through a back window, 
 while the future Archdeacon stood by the frightened 
 mother, and met pluckily the inrush of the rioters. 
 Baulked of their prey, and afraid to tackle this stalwart 
 defender of the weak, they rushed out again, and 
 gave chase ; but by this time the rescuers had reached 
 home, and after howling round the mission fence, 
 which they dare not pass, they departed, leaving 
 the infants in the care of Mrs. Crowther, the wife of 
 the mother's valiant champion. It is good to know 
 that at night the poor horrified mother was also 
 brought into the mission premises to look after her 
 own offspring, one of which had died, chiefly through 
 the trembling carelessness of the nervous old woman, 
 but the other grew up a well-favoured little maiden, 
 baptized by the name of Theodora Kezia Powell, 
 and afterwards, in brighter and safer days, returned 
 with her mother to Bonny, heartily welcomed by 
 both Christians and heathen. 
 
 For by degrees the leaven of this humane influence 
 began to leaven the whole lump of Bonny society. 
 The next occasion gave no trouble, as both children 
 were brought safely to the mission, and presently 
 the now happy event took place in the household of 
 an influential chief, and he, with the spirit of a father 
 in him, refused either to have them destroyed or even 
 taken to the mission station. So that in due time 
 the thing once denounced became a popular privilege, 
 and no home or clan without twins was looked upon 
 as having a full share of heavenly blessing !
 
 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 235 
 
 But the best of the story is in its sequel. This 
 cruel juju priest became himself a baptized convert 
 and full communicant, and through his influence a 
 brother priest, whose duty it was to take care of 
 the national house of skulls, threw up his priestly 
 office, and position too, and accepted Christianity. 
 Other priests joined them, and the Archdeacon makes 
 a note in narrating these facts : " Such are some of 
 ' the Lord's doings, and they are marvellous in our 
 eyes.' We give God the praise, and pray that we, 
 who are the privileged servants in the field, may 
 recognize more and more the influencing power of 
 the Holy Spirit, and may have grace to keep us 
 humble, knowing that it is not by might, nor by 
 power, but by the Spirit of the Lord." 
 
 A few years later, during one of his journeys up 
 the Niger, the Bishop left Rabbah and crossed on foot 
 to Ilorin, and on leaving he halted for the night at 
 a village called Ogbomosho. A very interesting 
 incident occurred here, of which the Bishop makes 
 a point of specially noting in his journal. It appears 
 that ten years before some Baptist missionaries 
 from America started a work in this place, but the 
 Civil War in their own country compelled them to 
 give it up and return. Doubtless these good men, 
 who had so Httle time in which to sow the good seed, 
 would afterwards grieve over a fruitless effort of failure. 
 This is what the Bishop says : 
 
 As soon as we were lodged one of our party, who had 
 visited this place some years ago and was acquainted with 
 the American missionaries, was anxious to see what had
 
 236 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 
 
 become of their station, that he might be able to say from 
 actual knowledge at his return to the coast ; so he went to 
 see. He soon returned to our lodging with surprise at what 
 he had seen and observed : the station was in total ruins, 
 but in a corner of the premises a hut was erected and screened 
 with mats, in the verandah of which he observed a small 
 group of people with books in hand, as if they were holding 
 divine worship. As he could not speak with them (because of 
 the language), he returned to tell me what he had discovered. 
 He was followed by a few of the men at prayers to our lodg- 
 ing, who told me that they were converts of the American 
 Baptist Missionary Society ; that since they had been left to 
 themselves they had been in the habit of meeting together on 
 the Lord's Day to keep prayers, as they were met that morn- 
 ing ; so I promised to be with them in the afternoon if they 
 would send someone to conduct me to the ruined station, 
 which they did, when the gentleman who was there in the 
 morning accompanied me. On my arrival I found the dwell- 
 ing-house and chapel gone to ruins, but some of the doors and 
 window shutters, and such other building materials as might 
 be of use, were collected together under a shed, together with 
 such household utensils as tables, chairs, pots, saucepans, etc., 
 which stood the weather, were carefully packed under the 
 shed, with as many benches as were not in use. 
 
 In the meantime a large group of spectators gathered 
 while the converts were placing the benches in order to sit on. 
 Having taken my seat, I asked for any book they were pos- 
 sessed of, when the first edition of St. Luke, with Acts and 
 Romans in Yoruba, was handed to me ; so I addressed them 
 from Romans i. 9-13, as expressing the wishes of their mission- 
 aries and Christian friends at large on their behalf that they 
 were not forgotten, but hoped that God would remove the 
 obstacles in the way of fresh access to them in due time. 
 
 There were some young persons among them who had 
 been taught to read, who always read portions of God's Word 
 when, in turn, the elder ones engaged in prayer. Wishing to 
 know how many they were, I took their names in my pocket- 
 book — fifteen males and seven females. Of all, only three 
 females had been baptized ; but all determined to adhere to 
 the religion which they found to be the truth, which they 
 would not change for any other. Having given them some 
 word of counsel and advice, I encouraged them to be steadfast 
 in their Christian profession.
 
 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 237 
 
 I provided them with some cloth to enable them to make 
 a better shed for a safer keeping of those building materials 
 saved from the ruins, hoping in some future days we may be 
 able to make some use of them. Here we began to meet 
 traces of Christian missionaries in the interior among heathen 
 population. 
 
 It is now some ten years since the missionaries had visited 
 this town ; their houses and chapel have gone to ruins, but 
 their spiritual work survives the wreck. Here they are, like 
 good plants, struggling to recover their vitality in the midst 
 of choking thorns and bramble bushes, yet they are not over- 
 grown. Twenty native Christians among a large population 
 of about fifty thousand maintain their stand in the very 
 ruins of their missionaries' station. Is it credible ? Come and 
 see. They were discovered this Sunday morning by one of 
 our fellow-travellers, himself a sceptic in the results of mission- 
 ary work among the heathen. He first brought me the news 
 of having seen a praying people. He accompanied me back 
 to the place, and was a witness when I addressed and prayed 
 with them, when these solitary converts resolved to hold 
 fast their Christian profession in the midst of all disadvan- 
 tages. I should like objectors to Christian missions to the 
 African heathen to say what could have been the worldly 
 inducements held out to these converts, since left by their 
 missionaries for a period of ten years, which made them stand 
 steadfast to the doctrine which they had been taught. They 
 had weathered the shock of persecution from relatives and 
 former associates in idolatry from which they had separated 
 themselves ; no missionaries to comfort, encourage, or sup- 
 port them in those trying hours ; no superior buildings to 
 boast of, but instead of which they struggle to maintain their 
 new faith in an humble shed among the very ruins. Can all 
 these things be ? The facts speak for themselves. The 
 member of the sceptic school, who has witnessed the sight 
 in the interior, must set his seal to the truthfulness of these 
 results of missionaries' operations, which he has seen in the 
 course of his travels. 
 
 It is no worldly inducement, but the power of the Spirit 
 by the preached Word. 
 
 " My Word shall not return unto Me void, it shall accom- 
 plish that which I please, it shall prosper in the thing whereto 
 I sent it."
 
 238 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 
 
 Fifteen years after this visit of the Bishop a Wes- 
 leyan missionary, the Rev. J. T. F. Halhgey, also came 
 to Ogbomosho, and had a very interesting interview 
 with the chief relative to estabUshing a mission 
 station, and asking for the favour of a plot of ground. 
 He told the missionary that he would think over it 
 all through the night, and see him in the morning to 
 give his decision. When the time came it was pointed 
 out to him how much better it would be for him to 
 give up his idols and accept Christ as his Saviour ; 
 but he shook his head. He lifted his hand to his 
 crisp iron-grey hair, and said : 
 
 " When we get old we do not care to change our 
 religion, and I shall die believing in the gods my 
 fathers trusted. But my children and my people, 
 they are young, and will like a new religion, and will 
 do as you say. Let them follow the white man." 
 He then took the missionary, attended by much 
 noise of horn and tomtoms, to a point where the 
 country could be seen, and directing his finger to 
 a hill, quite a mile long, gave it for the mission. He 
 was thanked for such great liberahty, and being 
 assured that only a small piece of land was requisite, 
 he answered, " When my people trust your Christ 
 they will want to come and live near the missionary." 
 
 It is rare for an old chief to change his religion, but 
 one who lived at Ilesa is an instance of what the 
 gospel can do. This old chief died in 1891, having for 
 some considerable time embraced Christianity, and 
 in his last illness requested the native minister to 
 attend him, so that he might hear the Bible and pray.
 
 THE BISHOP KIDNAPPED 239 
 
 Five days before he breathed his last he said : "A few 
 days more and I shall be with God, through Christ, 
 who has washed away my sins in His blood." He 
 then thanked the minister for his reading and talk, 
 and died a most triumphant death, surrounded by his 
 beheving children.
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 
 
 THE difficulties which beset the path of missions 
 among the heathen are manifold, and especially 
 do they hinder where pioneer work is concerned. 
 To those who enter into other men's labours and 
 build upon foundations already laid, the work, how- 
 ever praiseworthy, is not so difficult, for the neck 
 is broken of opposition and persecution. It is quite 
 possible, of course, that fresh hindrances may crop 
 up, and there are trials in the work of consohdating 
 not to be ignored. But in the first instance the brunt 
 is borne. There is the solid barrier of long-established 
 customs, a religion which touches every detail of 
 human life and the vested interests of its priests 
 and witch-doctor, who raise again the old cry of 
 " Great is Diana of the Ephesians " in another 
 language and with another title of the god. Then 
 there is the secular power, represented by kings and 
 chiefs, dressed in a little brief but very despotic 
 authority, interlocked at all points with native cus- 
 toms and regard for guardian or opposing deities, 
 mixed with the human vices of jealousy, envy, and 
 
 240
 
 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 241 
 
 greed of gain and power. It is obvious that the former 
 obstacle admits of no compromise, and the latter 
 is an uncertain quantity to depend upon, and de- 
 mands the greatest tact on the part of the missionary. 
 Then there are the inevitable complications which 
 appear in the wake of the march of purely commercial 
 interests, when perchance the flag is insulted, traders 
 suffer, and severe and necessary reprisals are made 
 by the white man's Government. Many other diffi- 
 culties might easily be quoted, but these, closely 
 affihated, were always much in evidence in the history 
 of the Niger mission, which the Bishop built up with 
 such patience and pains. 
 
 He was no mean diplomatist, and again and again 
 his presence saved the situation, not only for the 
 present, but as regards the safety and success of 
 the future. He found himself often standing between 
 contending tribes, trying to act as peacemaker, when 
 they would let him, facing frequently some blood- 
 thirsty chief, and, hke another Elijah, denouncing 
 the barbarities of this African Ahab, and warning 
 him of Divine wrath and judgment. On other oc- 
 casions, as we have seen, the Bishop found it very 
 difficult to explain that he was not associated for 
 personal profit with commerce, and this became still 
 more necessary because he was so much in sympathy 
 with anything which would develop the material 
 prosperity of his country. In his journals, with 
 their picturesque statement of facts, he has little 
 to say of his own feelings and struggles, but between 
 the lines it is not difficult to discern that indomitable
 
 242 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 
 
 perseverance, scrupulous rectitude of character, and 
 utter disregard of self which made up the man. The 
 Bishop seemed to have no idle moments, and he always 
 had a knack of knowing what to do in an emergency. 
 Singularly free from fear, he was patient and tender 
 to the utmost. He never seemed to lose heart, 
 though few men had more reason to despair. He 
 knew his converts as none other did, and, like a true 
 shepherd, cared for and did his best for his flock, 
 many of them very weak and tender sheep, needing 
 the crook to preserve them from perilous pastures. 
 
 We see him in anxiety for Lokoja, fearing it might 
 have to be abandoned, for Masaba was in an unfriendly 
 mood, and this note is made in his journals : " The 
 silent ejaculation of Nehemiah before Artaxerxes, 
 ' Grant him mercy in the sight of this man ' (Neh. 
 I. ii), was most applicable in my case, and was fre- 
 quently offered." Then after visiting Egga, with its 
 pestilential filthiness and many disagreeable ex- 
 periences, the Bishop reaches Bida, and finds to his 
 joy that the King has adopted quite another attitude, 
 and has himself suggested that the mission should 
 remain at Lokoja, where better order amongst the 
 people shall be established. 
 
 We were agreeably surprised to hear this difficult subject 
 solved by the King himself before we had time to broach it. 
 Thus the dark gloom which overshadowed the prospects of 
 Lokoja was blown away as the morning fog before the rising 
 sun, even before we had opened our lips to protest against 
 the order. Thus we have been relieved of our anxieties and 
 doubts. This is an instance of an answer to prayer : " Before 
 they call I will answer ; and while they are yet speaking, I 
 will hear." The Lord has graciously interposed in behalf of
 
 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 243 
 
 His own cause. The clouds we so much dreaded have broken 
 in blessings on our heads. " The king's heart is in the hand 
 of the Lord, as the rivers of water. He turneth it whithersoever 
 He will." How often has this His prerogative been pleaded 
 at the throne of grace in this case ! He has shown His readi- 
 ness to help in every time of need, yet we need again and again 
 to pray : " Lord, increase our faith." 
 
 The element of the ridiculous frequently enters 
 where the question of gifts to royal persons in Africa 
 is concerned, and when some presents were made 
 by Lieutenant Molyneaux, who landed from his 
 vessel, the Pioneer, on behalf of the Government and 
 the West Africa Company, the sable monarch was 
 dumbfounded by their variety and value. A huge 
 looking-glass, five feet by four feet, which must have 
 had miraculous escapes in transit, was exposed at 
 the gate of the palace, and reflected hundreds of 
 countenances grinning with wonder and delight. 
 But the thing which captivated the king's fancy and 
 interest was a plan on paper of the Suez Canal, which 
 the naval officer did his best, through the intervention 
 of the Bishop, to explain. The principal advantage 
 gained by this gift was to impress upon the King's 
 mind that the Viceroy of Egypt, a Mohammedan of 
 eminence, should be actually working with a great 
 Christian power, and asking it to execute this great 
 work for the benefit of his country and the commerce 
 of the world. The Bishop writes : 
 
 This people, being shut up in the interior of Africa, knowing 
 little more of their religion than scraps of the Koran, which 
 they repeat by rote as they perform their ablutions and say 
 their prayers, look down with bigoted pride and contempt on 
 all those who do not conform with them in these holy acts ;
 
 244 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 
 
 but the fact of the Mohammedan and Christian powers com- 
 bining to promote the general interest of the world in the 
 centre of Mohammedanism and seat of learning, has tended 
 very much to disarm this poor ignorant people of their pride 
 and contempt and to cool down their bigotry, which has led 
 them to regard themselves as the holiest people in the world. 
 
 The Bishop's presents from the Church Missionary 
 Society comprised some oval meat dishes, with highly 
 polished covers, and he was at much pains to explain 
 to the royal recipient thereof how the gentlemen in 
 the white man's land use them, and that the covers 
 kept the flies from the meat, and this would be an 
 advantage, seeing that Bida swarmed with these 
 insects. The King nodded his head, but said his idea 
 about the use of the cover was different. He coolly 
 screwed off the handle from the back, then set it 
 upside down, saying : "I shall have the holes of the 
 screws stopped up, and inside this cover, which is 
 deep and wide, I shall put my food, and eat out of it ; 
 the dish may take place of the cover." 
 
 " We could not help laughing," said the Bishop, 
 " at this inversion of the uses of the covers and dishes ; 
 but as he would enjoy them better that way, we said 
 he was perfectly at liberty to suit his o-wti idea about 
 their uses." The picture of this black King, sitting 
 on the ground before his big looking-glass, eating 
 out of an inverted dish cover, while studying the 
 plans of the Suez Canal, is comical beyond words. 
 
 When the Bishop returned to Lokoja he found 
 the Christian converts very dispirited, but he cheered 
 their hearts by telling them what had taken place, 
 and how the King had promised not to disturb the
 
 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 245 
 
 mission, and intended to prevent any more outrages 
 of his soldiers. Such good news greatly heartened 
 the flock. 
 
 I preached in the church on the mission premises from 
 Psalm 1. 15: "Call upon Me in the day of trouble," etc. 
 Some of the Mohammedans who were present remained till 
 our little preaching place began to be full. As some poor 
 heathens, whom they despised, were taking their seats near 
 them they began to be uneasy, as much as to say : " Come 
 not near unto us, for we are holier than you." On a sudden 
 they started out and went away, but, however, a few remained 
 to the end. An elderly looking man was particularly attentive 
 throughout the service. This self-righteous people would be 
 glad to have separate seats assigned them, but this cannot be 
 allowed in a Christian church, where all are one in Christ 
 Jesus, through whom we have access by one Spirit unto the 
 Father. We rejoiced to see them enter our places of worship 
 and lend an ear to our preaching, but we are forbidden to feed 
 their pride by indulging their erroneous notion of holiness. 
 In the afternoon I preached in the out-station, where there 
 was a congregation of fifty people, some of the deserters being 
 returned. I then directed their minds to the Lamb of God 
 which taketh away the sin of the world. These were strangers 
 from the interior who had never attended any place of wor- 
 ship before, with whom I had interesting conversation on the 
 folly of idolatrous worship after service. Though I was looked 
 upon as an extraordinary person, who could have such an 
 influence with the King to restore their companions who had 
 deserted without any further apprehension. I endeavoured 
 to convince them that we were instruments in the hand of 
 God, through whom He was pleased to work. " Not unto us, 
 O Lord, not unto us ; but unto Thy name give praise, for 
 Thy mercy and Thy truth's sake." The heathen have not 
 been able to say in this instance, " Where is now thy God ? " 
 for He has manifested His power among them. 
 
 The Bishop gives us, in visiting Onitsha station, 
 some interesting details respecting the rules and 
 customs which hedge about the dignity of a king. 
 He arrived on a great holiday, when the King made
 
 246 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 
 
 his annual appearance amongst his people, amid 
 great merriment and unhmited consumption of yams. 
 His Majesty is never allowed to pass beyond a certain 
 limit from the date of his coronation till his death, 
 otherwise a human sacrifice would be necessary to 
 propitiate the gods. This prescribed area extends 
 to 4950 square yards of ground, on which his rickety 
 mud hovel, called his palace, and the equally miserable 
 huts of his many wives are erected. As the Bishop 
 humorously points out, he is like a harmless animal 
 in a zoological garden, roaming inside his fences at 
 pleasure, but no further. After he is crowned no 
 attempt is made to instruct him as to his country and 
 people ; he knows absolutely nothing beyond his 
 fence. Although the station had been established 
 for over thirteen years at Onitsha, the King had never 
 seen any of the premises, neither house, church, 
 store, nor steamer. It is against the law that he should 
 see the river, or a boat or canoe, which may resemble 
 a coffin, lest it should hasten his death. Those im- 
 mediately near him make him the dupe of their slanders 
 and designs, and often influence him quite easily 
 against the work of the mission. But some of the 
 chief ladies of the palace, including the King's own 
 daughter, having been converted and baptized, an 
 opportunity was given for the Bishop to preach the 
 Gospel in the royal apartments. He took the op- 
 portunity to store the King's mind with Bible truths, 
 upon which he would have plenty of time to meditate 
 afterwards. He also opened the new church at Onit- 
 sha. It was simplicity itself, and would have dis-
 
 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 247 
 
 armed the most captious critic by its plain frugalit}-. 
 The temporary bamboo mat roof screened the floor 
 of mud, a plain wooden rail divided the chancel from 
 the body of the church, two side seats were fixed 
 up by slips of boards nailed to bamboo sticks, rows 
 of low mud walls served for seating the worshippers, 
 and some iron cask hoops with bits of candle stuck 
 thereon made a brilhant illumination at the evening 
 service. The collection from the faithful consisted 
 of a small piece of leaf tobacco, a bunch of trade beads, 
 a reel of cotton, some fish-hooks, and a silk pocket- 
 handkerchief. Within these mud walls, by the light 
 of those twinkling candles, the Bishop, in his surplice, 
 preaches and prays, and the hymn, " Arm of the Lord, 
 awake, awake ! " in a strange language, is sung 
 without any musical accompaniment. It seems a little 
 thing and insignificant, but it is a little light shining 
 in a very dark place, for within a few yards of it a day or 
 two afterwards an innocent girl was dragged to death 
 by the feet, for two miles of agony, to atone for the 
 sins of the people. This was done at dead of night, 
 but the Bishop's son, Dandeson, with a lantern, 
 discovered the outrage, and saw the poor child just 
 dying from her wounds. The Bishop writes : 
 
 I was afterwards told that the King was afraid lest I should 
 witness the deed and spread a bad report of him ; that he 
 changed the time, which was usually daylight, into the dark 
 hours of the night. I hope the time is not far distant when 
 the fear of man, who is only a servant, will be changed to the 
 fear of Him who has employed man to proclaim from His 
 Word that God Jehovah alone is to be feared and to be had 
 in reverence of all His reasonable creatures.
 
 248 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 
 
 At this time the Franco-German War was in pro- 
 gress, and the echoes of that dire conflict were heard 
 in far Africa. But it is curious to note in the corre- 
 spondence of the Bishop that a quite mistaken idea 
 prevailed. Whether the news was purposely dis- 
 torted, in the first instance, to diminish British prestige, 
 it is impossible to say ; but these chiefs had every- 
 where given out to the people that it was the English 
 who were being defeated by the French armies, and 
 as a consequence that anti-slavery natives would now 
 be powerless to interfere, and under the flag of the 
 all-victorious French the slave trade would revive 
 and gain its old ascendancy. This information, of 
 course, greatly excited the tribes of the interior, 
 and was easily credited by some to whom the wish 
 was father to the thought, and spies were sent down 
 to the coast at Lagos to have the tidings confirmed. 
 Wherever the Bishop travefled up the Niger he was 
 beset with a crowd of anxious inquirers, to whom he 
 had to give the assurance of the truth of the war. 
 
 On the death of one of his native helpers the Bishop 
 felt that a character like that of Francis Langley 
 should have more than a passing reference, not only 
 because he was such a devout Christian and faithful 
 worker, but as an instance of the efficiency of the 
 negro in the work of preaching the Gospel. Langley, 
 like the Bishop, was a liberated slave, landed at Sierra 
 Leone, where, as an apprentice, he worked hard for 
 a trading merchant, instructing himself in his spare 
 time in reading and writing, until he had, with the 
 additional aid of the Sunday-school and evening
 
 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 249 
 
 classes, gained a fair education. He then secured a 
 good and rising position in Government service at 
 Freetown. Then came his call to the Niger mission. 
 The need of workers there much impressed him, and, 
 in spite of the Governor having pointed out that he 
 was giving up what might become a lucrative post 
 for one of personal peril among the uncivilized heathen, 
 the young man made his choice for the service of God, 
 and in due time, with his wife and family, was the 
 solitary representative of the mission at Onitsha. 
 When that station was at its worst stage of perse- 
 cution his Hfe was attempted one dark night, and for 
 a long time he had to watch sleeplessly lest he should 
 be secretly murdered. But his pluck and faithfulness 
 to duty won over even his enemies. A terrible 
 epidemic broke out while he was working at an out- 
 station, and every one fled to Onitsha ; but Langley 
 and his family stuck to their post, exposed to enraged 
 cannibals, and for ten weary months he gave instruc- 
 tion and help to the many inquirers who sought his 
 door as their only friend. In spite of impaired health, 
 he had kept on working with a consecrated persistency, 
 which will bear comparison with some of the bravest 
 and best records of the mission field. As the Bishop 
 said of him, though perhaps he had but one talent, 
 he traded therewith and gained another for the Lord's 
 treasury. Can any one doubt the fitness and spirit 
 of such a man, negro though he was ? The Bishop 
 writes thus respecting his fellow-worker : 
 
 Through faith in Him whom he believed to be the only 
 Friend of sinners he trusted for pardon and forgiveness. From
 
 250 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 
 
 Him whom he so faithfully served here on earth we may 
 hereby express our belief that Francis Langley has received 
 the approbation : " Well done, good and faithful servant : 
 thou hast been faithful over very little things : enter thou 
 into the joy of thy Lord." Oh, that this were the ardent 
 desire of us all labouring in this mission, to spend and be spent 
 for the salvation of the souls of our heathen countrymen ! 
 Half a dozen men of like mind as that of our dear departed 
 Francis Langley would be inestimable boons to missionaries 
 among our heathen brethren according to the flesh. 
 
 While the Bishop is giving such a good testimony 
 
 of this native worker, it is not out of place to mention 
 
 here the opinion which an English naval officer formed 
 
 of the Bishop and his work. Captain East, R.N., 
 
 of H.M.S. Lynx, had orders to go up the Niger, and 
 
 he here met the Bishop, and had opportunities of 
 
 observing him and his conduct of the diocese. 
 
 At Lagos (he says) I first met Bishop Crowther, to whom 
 I had written offering him a passage in the Lynx to the Niger. 
 I had often heard of him, and years ago he had preached for 
 my father at Bath. He called on me, and, as most people are 
 who meet him, I was much impressed with his simple un- 
 affected manner and his almost perfect pronunciation of 
 English, so that in speaking to him you could scarcely realize 
 that you are speaking to a black man. On returning his call 
 I found the Bishop packing up with his own hands the books 
 and slates intended for the Niger Mission. . . . 
 
 The native town of Akassa is at some little distance to 
 the east. This station was in charge of a native catechist, 
 and he told me that he had a good hope that ten of the natives 
 were earnest, sincere Christians, were baptized and com- 
 municants. He had also sixty others who continually came 
 to these services, and many of them were anxious to be 
 baptized, but the Bishop was very careful in all these matters 
 not to go too fast. 
 
 Having arrived at Lokoja, he goes on to describe 
 a service which he attended, the first ordination service 
 in that part of Africa :
 
 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 251 
 
 At 10.20, accompanied by four of the officers of the Lynx, 
 I went to the Church Missionary Society's church, and after 
 morning prayers witnessed the ordination of three black 
 native catechists (Messrs. Paul, Romaine, and Langley) by 
 Bishop Crowther, who conducted the service in a quiet but 
 most impressive manner. He was attended by his chaplain 
 and the native clergy of Lokoja and Onitsha. His text was 
 Acts xiii. 46, on which he preached a short sermon, and con- 
 cluded by addressing the candidates for ordination, who, 
 having taken the oaths, had the office of deacon conferred 
 upon them. 
 
 It was an impressive sight. There was the Bishop 
 — now an elderly man, once a slave, but rescued by the 
 British cruisers — dressed in the usual robes of the English 
 Bench and surrounded by his clergy, seated within the rails 
 of as primitive a Communion Table as ever was seen ; in front, 
 the candidates for Holy Orders ; Bishop and all black, the 
 only white men being myself, four officers of H.M.S. Lynx, 
 and my coxswain, who occupied a pew close to the Com- 
 munion rails. In the congregation, numbering some two 
 hundred (as many as the church would hold) were some fifty 
 native and Sierra Leone Christians, and the children of the 
 school, about twenty in number. The rest consisted of the 
 Mohammedan and Pagan natives, who had come from curio- 
 sity ; and among others was our passenger, the Arab sheikh, 
 who, at all events, could see the simple earnestness of the 
 Bishop and his clergy. This sheikh is most regular in the 
 performance of his devotions on board and whenever he goes 
 on shore. After the service the Bishop and his clergy partook 
 of the Sacrament. ... I will here just mention a little in- 
 cident indicative of the esteem in which Bishop Crowther is 
 held. Having to try to arrange a dispute between the King 
 and the merchants about trading matters, the King expected 
 me to send for the Bishop, "for," he said, " I know he is a 
 man of truth and will know what is right ! " Poor Masaba ! 
 The Bishop, indeed, would have been only too glad to have 
 imparted to him that truth which could make him wise unto 
 salvation had he been willing to receive it. 
 
 Reference has already been made to Dandeson 
 Coates Crowther, the son of the Bishop, who was with 
 him when a prisoner through the treachery of Abokko,
 
 252 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 
 
 and was the constant and capable companion of his 
 father in his missionary journeys. He is now well 
 known as the Archdeacon of the Niger. On 19 June, 
 1870, he received ordination at the hands of the Bishop 
 in St. Mary's Parish Church, Ishngton. The event 
 was of unique interest, it being the first time that 
 a black Bishop had ordained his black son. A large 
 crowd filled the church, and the service was followed 
 with the deepest attention. It was by a happy coinci- 
 dence the day on which the annual sermon was preached 
 in aid of the Church Missionary Society. The Bishop 
 took for his text 2 Timothy 11. 23, and in forcible 
 language drew a parallel between the temporal and 
 spiritual conflict, and solemnly committed to his son 
 the responsibihty and yet privilege of waging a brave 
 warfare against sin under the banner of the cross. 
 The subsequent service of ordination was a touching 
 spectacle. The venerable Bishop, already growing 
 grey under many experiences ; the tall, capable figure 
 of his son, led up and presented by the Rev. T. Green, 
 Principal of the Church Missionary College ; and inside 
 the altar rails the Rev. Daniel Wilson, the aged vicar, 
 assisting in the ceremony. When all was over, 
 in the heart of not a few was a sense of gratitude 
 that here was another sign and promise that " Ethiopia 
 shall stretch her hands unto God." This young 
 minister who was ordained that day was destined to 
 be his father's capable right hand in the work of the 
 diocese, and to take up the sacred inheritance of his 
 labours as well as his name when the old Bishop was 
 no more.
 
 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 253 
 
 In his visitations to different stations on the Niger 
 the Bishop frequently experienced that the prevalence 
 of sickness was a serious check to the mission pros- 
 perity, because of the superstition of the people. 
 During his stay at Onitsha in 1874 a plague of small- 
 pox carried off some of the most promising converts. 
 Several of the children of the native missionaries 
 also died, and the sorrow which visited the town was 
 shared by the Christian teachers. But the native 
 doctors and juju priests made the most of the calamity 
 to advance their own ends, and naturally attributed 
 the disaster to the anger of the offended gods. When 
 the king Idiari died of the malady his opponent, the 
 pretender to the throne, greatly rejoiced ; but his 
 exultation was cut short rather abruptly when the 
 chiefs and people accused him of bringing the disease 
 into the country to kill their king. In their summary 
 fashion they started a new theory, and explained that 
 the disease had come because a well had been dug on 
 the mission compound fourteen fathoms deep, and 
 the displeased deities would only be satisfied by a 
 human sacrifice being made, and the body thrown into 
 the well. This was averted by argument and per- 
 suasion ; then the chiefs expressed themselves willing 
 to compromise, if a sort of indemnity be paid by the 
 missionaries by being permitted to charge them with 
 goods which they had never received. A young 
 convert, however, stood up between the parties, and 
 said to his people : "My friends, I have Hstened 
 to all that you have been saying about the well at the 
 mission compound. I will join you in filling it up,
 
 254 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 
 
 if you can promise me that, after it is done, there 
 shall be no more death at Onitsha." This challenge 
 they could not accept, and so happily the question 
 of the well was dropped. But they turned their 
 attention from the mission to the elderly women in 
 the town, whom they accused of having bewitched 
 the people, and thus brought sickness among them. 
 They seized upon twenty of these poor old creatures, 
 and made them prove their innocence by drinking 
 draughts of poison, with the sad result that half their 
 number died in agony. This dreadful ordeal by 
 drinking dangerous liquids was a common test among 
 the natives. 
 
 In spite, however, of these measures, the sickness 
 did not abate, and even the sudden destruction 
 of their sheep and pigs did not prevent the spread 
 of the fell disease. The meetings for worship were 
 deserted, which possibly was not without its ad- 
 vantages, until one man announced that he had had 
 a dream in which their old pastor Mr. Langley ap- 
 peared to him, and seriously warned him that if 
 he continued to slight the offer of mercy now made 
 to him and to all the people of Onitsha, they would 
 all go to hell after death. This set the tide flowing 
 in another direction, and the public services were 
 soon full to overflowing. After a time the plague 
 was stayed, but its ravages were great. 
 
 One of the characteristics of the Bishop's mind 
 was its absolutely fair and dispassionate way of 
 judging men and their circumstances. Although 
 allied to the negro by blood relationship, he recog-
 
 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 255 
 
 nized their limitations, and was never afraid to speak 
 plainly and act firmly when they were proved to be 
 in error. He had, as we have seen, a great desire to 
 improve the position of the people on the Niger by 
 encouraging trade, as they were thereby brought into 
 contact with white men, and it gave them other 
 interests, which would work out well, not only in 
 the matter of material prosperity, but also in 
 strengthening their character. Here are some com- 
 ments upon that love of money which was getting 
 a hold upon the people : 
 
 Their indifference to the means of grace is to be attributed 
 to this in a great measure. It appears this people cannot bear 
 prosperity — from abject poverty they have been improved 
 to what they are now ; but the more trade is brought among 
 them the more unbearable they are becoming in their de- 
 mands to lessen the measures by which produce is brought 
 from them, and to increase goods for payment to nearly 
 double the former quantity ; and because this would not be 
 consented to trade has been stopped ever so many times for 
 weeks, as if to compel the merchants to comply with their 
 terms. But, strange to say, some of the merchants have tried 
 to implicate our mission agents by suspecting some of them, 
 and even complaining to me of an individual as putting the 
 natives up to all this dissatisfaction with the state of trade. 
 How groundless such a charge ! Here we are between two 
 evils, the unjust suspicions of the merchants — as if the mission 
 agents were instigating the natives against them, which creates 
 ill-feeling and distrust on their part — and the evil influences 
 of the mercantile agents, which we of necessity are compelled 
 to expose, to their disgrace and confusion. Thus we are 
 situated in heathen lands, conflicting with civilized evil in- 
 fluences, as well as the barbarous heathen practices, all which 
 militate against the holy religion of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 How much the political as well as the commercial 
 interests on the Niger owed to the Bishop ! He
 
 256 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 
 
 was always ready to place at the disposal of the 
 representatives of British authority his popular 
 personahty and experience in language and native 
 ideas. In 1874 we find him accompanying the mer- 
 chants to Bida, introducing them to King Omoru, 
 and, as their interpreter, enabling them to hold a 
 long conversation with his Majesty, and make some 
 definite and profitable arrangements as regards future 
 trading. He also took the opportunity of reading 
 the letter from Governor Berkeley, which accompanied 
 the Queen's presents and congratulations on the 
 accession of King Omoru to the throne of Masaba. 
 Here is his own account of the scene : 
 
 Amongst other things, I informed the King of the visit of 
 the Shah of Persia to England, his kingly reception, and the 
 impressions made on his mind so favourable that he could not 
 express them in words, but in ardent request that England 
 would be kind enough to consent to construct railroads in 
 his dominions for the facility of communication and com- 
 merce ; that while such a mighty Mohammedan monarch did 
 not spare himself the trouble of such a visit, nor did he think 
 his kingdom was beyond improvement, how much more 
 should African kings desire a foreign power to improve their 
 countries by their wealth and skill. I then showed him a 
 lump of coal, which Captain Croft had kindly given me on 
 asking, as the fuel with which steam work is done in England, 
 and that he should show it to his subjects ; perhaps they 
 might come across such a thing as that in the country one 
 day, to report it to him. This was a piece of curiosity. 
 
 These interviews with native dignities were some- 
 times attended with a little risk, and two little acci- 
 dents attended this particular ceremonial. The King 
 had gathered for review a large force of cavalry and 
 a crowd of footmen to make the visit of the foreign
 
 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 257 
 
 gentlemen more distinguished ; but as the party 
 were going out, one of these dusky warriors, a httle 
 hilarious with palm wine, discharged a revolver, 
 without any idea of doing harm, but the bullet narrowly 
 missed the Bishop and struck one of the bystanders, 
 who died almost immediately. The King at once 
 prohibited any further reckless use of firearms. But 
 another misadventure from a different cause occurred 
 shortly afterwards. When he returned to the town, 
 after a prolonged palaver with the Bishop and his 
 other visitors, some of his horsemen started to gallop 
 through the narrow streets, when the horse of Captain 
 Croft, one of the merchants, took fright, and thrust 
 its rider against the wall, breaking his leg just above 
 the ankle. Two native doctors speedily came to the 
 rescue with their original first-aid appliances, pulling 
 the parts till the bone was set, then making splints 
 of the hard bark of the bamboo tree, and tightly bind- 
 ing round it the native calico bandages. It is not 
 to be wondered at that they added to these fairly 
 common-sense and effective remedies some super- 
 stitious ceremonies, prayers muttered to the gods, 
 and the application outside of a sacred ointment 
 of ostrich marrow and hen's fat. When a messenger 
 fetched the medicine-chest from the steamer, and 
 the Bishop carefully explained the uses of the various 
 things therein comprised, the King was deeply in- 
 terested and not a little astonished at the woodcuts 
 in the book, showing the different parts of the body, 
 with directions how to treat them. " You were 
 well prepared before leaving home for a foreign
 
 258 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 
 
 country," was his comment. The Bishop spoke 
 highly of this inteUigent King of Nupe. Well read as 
 he was in Arabic books which had come to him across 
 the desert, he was a man of considerable knowledge, 
 open-minded and reasonable to deal with. He was 
 able to write a very sensible letter to the English 
 Governor, sending his thanks to the Queen for the 
 presents, and giving a strong assurance that while 
 he remains in authority, all English subjects shall 
 have his protection and interest. The Bishop ac- 
 companied this letter with one from his own pen, in 
 which he says : 
 
 King Umoru is an educated Mohammedan, and is well 
 read on subjects relating to civilized nations in the north ; 
 the quickness with which he entered into the idea of any 
 information on such subjects at once proved his superior 
 intelligence to his late predecessor. Taking all these into 
 consideration, together with his own express wishes to be led 
 and advised by wiser minds, and also the extent of countries 
 over which his influence is felt, I feel persuaded that if Her 
 Majesty's Government would continue to show their recogni- 
 tion of his earnest wishes to promote the interest of trade 
 and more extensive cultivation of produce suitable for Euro- 
 pean markets by a moderate annual remuneration, I believe 
 good benefits will accrue from it both to commerce and 
 Christian civilization of this extensive portion of interior 
 Africa. 
 
 This letter was a business epistle. The Bishop 
 subsequently visited New Calabar, where he dis- 
 covered in the otherwise muddy and miserable sur- 
 roundings of the town a bit of dry and firm sandy 
 beach, unexpectedly suitable for a mission station. 
 
 We could scarcely believe our own eyes till we entered the 
 jungle and examined it to some depth, which proved satis-
 
 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 259 
 
 factory. We walked along the beach to some distance, where 
 I could fancy a fine playground for a shoal of school children. 
 When let out of the schoolroom in which they have been con- 
 fined at their lessons for a few hours, how they would skip 
 about and amuse themselves with their many antics ! 
 
 He secured the land by a written agreement under 
 the signatures of the King and himself, whereby they 
 each undertook to pay half the expenses of the mission 
 premises being built and even the school fee, for every 
 child is carefully stipulated for at £2 per annum. 
 
 The news which reached him at this time of the 
 position of affairs at Idda gave him much concern. 
 Since the death of the old Atta, who was not a very 
 reliable factor as regards either commercial or re- 
 ligious undertakings, very little progress had been 
 made by his successor Akaia. This man was the 
 murderer of a faithful friend and adviser, Okoro, an 
 old retainer, who had stood by the young ruler in 
 many times of hardship and peril. The people 
 therefore were much divided in their allegiance, and, 
 as the Bishop put it, " Under this circumstance, what 
 friend of humanity and of the oppressed would not 
 wish and pray that such a weak, rotten, and powerless 
 government might one day fall into the hands of 
 another power, which could defend the poor and justly 
 punish the wrongdoer ? " 
 
 This wretched and unrehable King was very anxious 
 for the Bishop to open a missionary establishment 
 at Idda, not possibly from any particular love for 
 the Gospel, but because it would bring the merchants 
 and stimulate trade. But the Bishop would have 
 none of it unless the Atta should proclaim a law that
 
 26o IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 
 
 the river passage was free and safe in open boat 
 or canoe for the mission agents to pass from one station 
 to another, and that the King would hold himself 
 and his chiefs responsible for any molestation, if 
 such should occur. Here we get also a final reference 
 to that wretched chief who betrayed the Bishop into 
 captivity, but who does not seem to have prospered 
 much by his treachery : 
 
 The covetous Abokko (says the Bishop), who had done the 
 mischief in 1867, has since returned to Idda after the death 
 of the late offended Atta, though reduced to beggary for his 
 daily subsistence. Neither myself, I am thankful to say, 
 nor few of my fellow-labourers now in the mission care much 
 for any amount of work we may have to do, or exposure to 
 endure in travelUng by land, river, or creek in the pursuit of 
 our duty, nor are we careful for what the Lord may permit 
 to befall us, as the results of a faithful preaching of the Gospel, 
 when the rage of Satan may be roused against us ; but when 
 a meditated treachery, prompted by covetousness, well dis- 
 guised under pretended friendship, mth the avowed intention 
 to extort money, entraps one into difficulties in order to get 
 it, this is more difficult to endure with feelings of resignation 
 than suffering in the cause of the Gospel. But we must re- 
 member " The Lord reigneth ; clouds and darkness are round 
 about Him ; righteousness and judgment are the habitation 
 of His throne." 
 
 While the Bishop was busy with his work, founding 
 his mission in Western Africa, Ihe thoughts of the 
 English people were wistfully turned towards the 
 eastern side of the Continent, from which news of 
 Livingstone had been brought by Stanley. The 
 tension of many years of suspense had been at last 
 relieved, and the great traveller and missionary had 
 been found alive and well in the deep forests of that 
 land for whose sake he died. The touching story of
 
 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 261 
 
 his passing away soon followed the tidings of his 
 discovery, and the nation wept for the loss of one so 
 brave, so unselfish, so loyal to his God and duty. 
 It is supposed that his death occurred in either April 
 or May, 1873, but a few months afterwards the Bishop 
 met with news of him, while staying at Egga, above 
 the Confluence of the Niger. The tidings were already 
 two years old, and although no name was mentioned, 
 but only a brief description could be relied upon, he 
 felt it might be Livingstone, and therefore wrote 
 the following letter to travel back into the far east 
 of the continent, as he said, " just for experiment ; 
 it matters not into whose hands the letter may fall " : 
 
 Egga, River Niger, West Africa, 
 28 September, 1873. 
 
 Having met with an ivory trader by the name of Abudulai, 
 who reported having seen a white man in the far east country 
 about two years ago, whom he described as an old man with 
 white whiskers, who wore long boots, red shirt, and a cap, at 
 a place called Kakade Bina, at a large body of water called 
 Kadai, paddled in a large canoe called Baya, who wore head- 
 bands of cowries and bedaubed themselves with oil, who are 
 also cannibals. 
 
 Suspecting this white man may be Dr. Livingstone, I write 
 these lines in hope, if so they may verify the statements, 
 should Abudulai go that way again and may come across the 
 
 ^'^^^^^^^- S. A. Crowther, 
 
 Bishop, Niger Territory. 
 
 One wonders what became of this precious missive, 
 passing, perhaps, from hand to hand in the mysterious 
 heart of Africa, written by one of her greatest sons 
 about one of her most steadfast friends. When the 
 Bishop was writing these words at Egga, the famous
 
 262 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 
 
 missionary explorer had passed to his rest at least four 
 months. The sacred burden of his poor worn-out body 
 was being at this very time carried through swamp and 
 forest, in peril of hostile and superstitious tribes, with 
 infinite difficulty by his faithful servants, Susi, Chuma, 
 and Jacob Wainwright, to the coast. How it was borne 
 to his native land and buried with honours in Westmin- 
 ster Abbey is a page of history which no true lover of 
 Africa can recall without stirrings of heart to all time. 
 Although his explorations were in another region 
 of the Dark Continent, and he touched other tribes, 
 still we can imagine what a pleasure it would have 
 been to Livingstone could he have met the Bishop 
 before he died. For he, too, believed in the possi- 
 bilities latent in the African native, and he would 
 have rejoiced to greet as a fellow-worker in the mis- 
 sionary field one who so conspicuously fulfilled that 
 promise and destiny. 
 
 Trade had begun to flourish on the western coast, 
 and the natives in the Gulf of Biafra welcomed the 
 erection of factories at the different places on the shore. 
 As the Bishop foresaw, this introduction of the trading 
 element did not advantage the people from a moral 
 standpoint. The Bishop took pains to show the 
 people of England that bringing the native in contact 
 with civilization must not necessarily make him a 
 better man. In many cases it was only sharpening 
 his wits and developing characteristics which were 
 not good for himself or the white man, with whom 
 he was now called to strike a bargain. In a ten years' 
 retrospect of work among these degraded people
 
 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 263 
 
 he adverted to some comments from time to time in 
 the English Press, oftener prompted by ignorance of 
 than by hostiHty to the work of Christian missions, 
 in which it had been assumed that there was Uttle 
 necessity for anything but the commercial association 
 with Europeans to improve the native character. 
 Indeed, if the missionary counts for nothing, the only 
 hope for the heathen is in the trader and possibly the 
 schoolmaster, although the latter generally is brought 
 in with the Bible. The Bishop does not shrink from 
 plain speaking ; he sketches the unconverted native 
 of the Delta with perfect frankness, and shows that 
 he will do his best to overreach the white man. 
 
 They are very shrewd, artful, and cunning, watchful of 
 strangers, whom they sound to ascertain the extent of their 
 knowledge of native character and the state of business, so 
 that they may deal with them accordingly. A stranger just 
 entering the country is really an object of pity, on account of 
 the imposition he is exposed to in buying provisions or build- 
 ing materials, such as sticks, bamboo for roof covering, etc. ; 
 he will be expected to pay a hundred per cent more than the 
 ordinary price articles are sold at amongst themselves. All 
 being brokers, you can scarcely get anyone to put you on 
 your guard, unless he be a foreigner who has himself gone 
 through the same ordeal and has, after a time, arrived at a 
 better knowledge of things by a dearly bought experience. 
 For instance, building materials, which may be got from the 
 bush at the end of one's own new ground close at hand for 
 little or nothing, are charged for most extravagantly, and are 
 even dearer than planks brought from England ; nor will you 
 be told that such may be got close by unless a person happens 
 to find it out for himself. When these impositions are dis- 
 covered, they are never ashamed of themselves as long as they 
 have gained their object for the time being — the strangers 
 being considered their lawful prey. 
 
 The Bishop gives instances of this to show their 
 cleverness and cupidity. In building mission premises,
 
 264 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 
 
 and in even providing the necessary food for their 
 inmates, he has had to battle with them against ex- 
 tortion. 
 
 ' Deceitfulness and self-interest, again, are traits in their 
 character. No sooner was the new mission station occupied 
 at New Calabar than one of the petty chiefs brought his son 
 to one of the mission agents to be received and educated for 
 him on his private account till the boarding-school was opened. 
 When he was asked, " What about his board ? " the father 
 promised to pay one goat and three fowls monthly as an 
 equivalent. The boy was with the mission agent for six 
 weeks, but not a chicken was given towards his food. Mean- 
 while the father came and asked permission to take his son 
 with him to join in some great amusement which was then 
 going on in the town. After two weeks' absence the son was 
 sent back by a messenger to the mission agent, but nothing 
 was brought in payment. I knew from the beginning what 
 the arrangement was, but I wished our new friends to prove 
 it by their experience. No such agreement was ever yet ful- 
 filled by private arrangement, to my knowledge, at Okassa, 
 Brass, or yet even Bonny. I ordered the boy to be sent back 
 to his father to make good his promise ; if he was in earnest 
 about his education, he was to send him to the boarding-school 
 through the King, who makes every one responsible for the 
 boarding of their children at the price agreed upon. I told 
 the King of the fraud which was practised on us, and asked 
 him to tell me candidly whether he thought that that chief 
 ever meant to pay for the maintenance of his son. He was 
 surprised at my discovery of the cheat and significantly shook 
 his head, which meant " No." . . . 
 
 Keenness in trade is conspicuous amongst them ; they are 
 shrewd, calculating, and hard bargainers. Before an under- 
 standing is come to the buyer's patience is well-nigh ex- 
 hausted. Time is to them of no value ; after the seller has 
 wasted about five hours in holding on to see whether you 
 would call him back and accept his terms, he will come back 
 and offer to accept your terms as a particular favour to you. 
 . . . When there is any suspicion of an individual or a people 
 beware of treachery ; among your visitors are treacherous 
 men, who watch your words and proceedings and draw you 
 out in a cunning manner, reporting to their employers. 
 
 They are passionate and revengeful ; hence there is a great
 
 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 265 
 
 difi&culty in reconciling them. Nothing satisfies one who 
 imagines himself wronged, unless retaliation. The propensity 
 to theft may be classed as an instinct. Wlien a stranger is 
 robbed, it is considered as a matter of course ; by mutual 
 agreement nothing is revealed by anyone privy to the theft, 
 old or young. . . . 
 
 Church building materials have been robbed from us. 
 Although the thief was well known — a person of note in the 
 town — yet because the planks had not marks on them by 
 which we could identify them, we could not accuse the thief. 
 Some months elapsed after the robbery when the very planks 
 were brought and sold to us, which we repurchased. . . . Even 
 places of worship do not escape them. The velvet coverings 
 of the cushions on the seats at St. Clement's Church were torn 
 off at night and carried away. At St. Stephen's Church the 
 benches for seats, the coverings for the reading-desk and pulpit, 
 the black school board, and even the church bell were stolen. 
 
 And yet the Bishop pomts out that these people, 
 judged from an intellectual standpoint, rank high. 
 They show great aptitude for acquiring knowledge, 
 will study intelligently, have retentive memories, 
 and will often aspire to superior attainments. In fact, 
 that King William Pepple and his son George had 
 been to England gave an incentive to the advantages 
 of a European education. Some of the chiefs, there- 
 fore, sent their sons to England for this purpose, but 
 the experiment was hardly a success. The motive 
 in sending them was sometimes wrong to begin with, 
 and then they were not altogether fortunate in their 
 location on this side. An instance is given of a 
 little girl who was sent by her father, the chief, with 
 the one idea that she might afterwards be her father's 
 private secretary in the oil business, and when, after 
 three years, she came back with only the rudiments 
 of learning and little knowledge of accounts, she was
 
 266 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 
 
 packed off again back to England for two or three more 
 years with again disappointing results on her return. 
 The chief was enraged, as indeed he might reasonably 
 be, for he had spent £1200 on this education experi- 
 ment. There must have been something radically 
 wrong on this side the water. 
 
 A school was established at Bonny by the Bishop, 
 where a good education might be imparted without 
 the necessity for these unsatisfactory and expensive 
 voyages abroad. It was a step in the right direction, 
 and in some cases the pupils, after being well grounded 
 there, were sent to England, where their intelligence 
 and their parents' means warranted this course. 
 The rage for education increased. So anxious were 
 the parents that their children should learn quickly, 
 that they would bring them to the mission school 
 with instructions that the poor little black wights 
 should be kept at study day and night, and they 
 could not easily be brought to see that relaxation and 
 sleep were necessary to young people. Sometimes 
 the Bishop was frankly told that all that was wanted 
 was that the children should be able to gauge palm oil 
 and add up the books correctly. But in other cases 
 ambition and vanity formed the driving power to 
 get these girls and boys to bring lustre upon their 
 name by displaying superior attainments in the 
 presence of less fortunate families. 
 
 Vanity and a love of show are never very far away 
 from the negro mind. On a Sunday there used to 
 be always a display of extraordinary costumes at 
 a church parade, which, for colour and variety, if
 
 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 267 
 
 not for strict aesthetic taste, would surpass a Euro- 
 pean boulevard. But the egregious vanity of the 
 people reached its maximum when a general hoUday 
 came round, and everybody put on bunting galore. 
 The Bishop, with his observant eye, gives us a little 
 glimpse of such a scene at New Calabar : 
 
 On these days every one appeared in his or her best dress, 
 the males in long shirts like nightshirts, but made of the best 
 Manchester goods they could obtain, such as rich silks, silk 
 velvets, damasks, etc., their under wrappings being of the 
 same materials. The head coverings are black or straw hats 
 or caps, decorated with coral beads of the best quality obtain- 
 able. The females appeared in the same rich drapery, but 
 their dresses are cut into lengths of cloths about the size of a 
 moderate table cover. Many such are passed round in layers 
 on the waists and bent in the front until they become a large 
 pile of goods, which make their gait awkward. In addition 
 to all this rich drapery, strings of large, expensive, real coral 
 beads are suspended on the necks of both males and females, 
 at the lowest rate to the amount of ;^5o or £60 on the body of 
 an individual. The necks of some females are quite weighed 
 down with them. These coral beads are of very large grains, 
 which are much preferred to small grains, mostly long pipe, 
 round, or drum shape. During the late amusements a new 
 ornament has been introduced in addition to corals as jewels, 
 viz. coins. Gold sovereigns, silver dollars, florins, shilUngs, 
 and sixpenny pieces are bored through and strung up with 
 coral beads for the neck, wrists, or ankles to the amount of as 
 many pounds as each one was able to purchase. These are 
 exhibitions of greatness and the test of superiority in riches. 
 In consequence of this English gold sovereigns and silver coins 
 have become articles of great demand in the palm oil trade, 
 for ornamental dresses as above stated. One of the native 
 chiefs at New Calabar was said to have purchased coins for 
 his own ornaments, wives', and children's to the amount of 
 ;^500, paid for in palm oil. It was estimated by gentlemen 
 competent to judge that the hat of another chief was valued 
 at forty puncheons of palm oil, which at £12 per puncheon, 
 as oil was rated in the river, was equal to the value of ^480, 
 of coral beads, gold and silver coins, with which the hat was 
 decorated.
 
 268 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 
 
 This being one of the chief objects of their emulation, one 
 may guess how eager each one must be to make as much by- 
 trade as possible, and even to increase their accumulated 
 stores by enormous overcharges on their native produce or 
 materials, and how wasteful it must appear to some of these 
 ignorant people to pay I2. a year school fee for the education 
 of a child, because education is not a visible appendage for 
 exhibition as an ornament, as two sovereigns, twenty florins, 
 forty shillings, or eighty sixpenny pieces would have been on 
 their persons. 
 
 This picture of native character as drawn so faith- 
 fully by the Bishop is intended as a commentary on 
 the native as blessed by commerce and civilization. 
 What have these European influences done for these 
 people ? It is clear that the innate love of money 
 has been only exaggerated into developments of 
 avaricious deceit. Even education in the eyes of the 
 chiefs meant only more opportunities of making a 
 fortune, making a son or daughter a trade asset or 
 a glorification of family pride. And to what purposes 
 is this acquired money used ? The Bishop draws 
 a veil upon the sensuality which is so often the curse 
 of the unconverted and prosperous African. These 
 brute passions, sometimes beneath even the respectable 
 brute, are unchecked by European contact, and indeed 
 the success of trade often fans the embers of iniquity 
 into a flame. The Bishop makes no charges against 
 the moral character of the European trader, though 
 doubtless then, as now, and perhaps more so, the 
 reputation of the Christianity of the white man in 
 some cases is wounded in the house of its friends. 
 But the picture he portrays of the childish vanity, 
 the reckless extravagance of dress and ornaments,
 
 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 269 
 
 while quite consistent with the native character, 
 demonstrates that neither a smattering of education, 
 nor the acquisition of money, teaches these poor foohsh 
 people a wiser and more excellent way. It is a dark 
 but truthful view of heathenism minus the grace of 
 God. Incidentally it is not difficult to see how the 
 repudiation of all this by the Christian standard 
 created a barrier to the progress and popularity of 
 Christianity, and was a continual stumbling-block in 
 the path of new converts to the faith. 
 
 On the Niger, as indeed in every mission field, 
 with varying intensity, the sale of intoxicating liquors 
 has been from the beginning a terrible hindrance to 
 Christianity, The Bible has been followed by the 
 beer, and what the missionary has accomplished 
 has been by the merchant undone. This is an old 
 and painful story, the jarring chord in many a song 
 of praise, a black stain, one might call it a crimson 
 wound, in the history of missionary endeavour. 
 In West Africa the sale of spirits became such a 
 menace to the moral character of the people that 
 some official action was forced on the Church Mission- 
 ary Society. On 18 December, 1884, an influential 
 deputation waited upon the Foreign Office to lay 
 before the Government of that day the crying wrongs 
 which this vile business was inflicting upon the African 
 people, and the injury which was done to the mission 
 work of the Society in that part of the continent. 
 The immediate and urgent necessity for action was 
 stated to be the conclusions of the Berlin Conference, 
 as reported in the " Times " of 8 December, in which
 
 270 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 
 
 it was stated that the suggestions of the British 
 representative had been overruled, and the Niger 
 and other parts of the West Coast of Africa were to 
 become the licensed sphere of this degrading traffic. 
 It was pointed out that there were grave reasons 
 for anticipating that this sale of alcoholic drink 
 would ruin the missions and irreparably demoralize 
 the natives, undoing all the patient and faithful work 
 of missions in the past and present of that important 
 field. Some startling personal testimonies were given. 
 The Secretary of the Society stated that when on a 
 visit to the Niger he saw with his own eyes vessels 
 laden with nothing else, in one instance carrying 
 25,000 cases of gin, introducing the fire water to these 
 poor, half-delirious and drunken natives. So con- 
 siderable had the traffic become that the African 
 towns were disgraced with evidences of frightful 
 drunkenness, and that the importance of some of 
 these villages was reckoned by the huge piles of gin 
 bottles stacked up at the gate. No language could 
 express the miserable condition of these poor natives, 
 who have been deceived and drugged by Hamburg 
 spirit so vile that the most drunken ^European sailor 
 would not touch it. Like a demoniac possession, 
 the whole being of the native was afire with it, every 
 moral quality was destroyed, and the worst instincts 
 of the savage were brought back anew. 
 
 The African kings themselves foresaw the ruin 
 of their country, and implored the missionaries to 
 save their people from this scourge. A notable 
 instance of this was a letter which Maliki, the Emir
 
 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 271 
 
 of Niipe, addressed to one of the native pastors, to 
 be placed in the hands of Bishop Crowther. This 
 man was not a Christian, but he dreaded the approach 
 of the white man's drink, having seen what havoc 
 it had already wrought amongst his people. It is 
 most pathetic to read these words, wrung from the 
 very heart of a native king, coupled with an almost 
 childHke affection for the Bishop, in whom he had such 
 confidence. The original letter and its translation 
 by the Bishop are still happily preserved : 
 
 Maliki, Emir of Nup6. 
 
 Salute Crowther, the great Christian minister. After 
 salutation please tell him he is a father to us in this land ; 
 anything he sees will injure us in all this land, he would not 
 like it. This he knew perfectly well. 
 
 The matter about which I am speaking with my mouth, 
 write it ; it is as if it is done by my hand ; it is not a long 
 matter, it is about Barasa (rum or gin), Barasa, Barasa, 
 Barasa — my God, it has ruined my country, it has ruined our 
 people very much, it has made our people become mad ! I 
 have given a law that no one dares buy or sell it, and anyone 
 who is found selling it his house is to be eaten up (plundered), 
 anyone found drunk will be killed, I have told all the Chris- 
 tian traders that I agree to everything for trade except Barasa, 
 I have told Mr. Mcintosh's people to-day the Barasa remain- 
 ing with them must be returned down the river. Tell Crowther, 
 the great Christian minister, that he is our father, I beg you, 
 Mallam Kipo (Rev, C. Paul, native missionary), don't forget 
 the writing, because we all beg that he (Bishop Crowther) 
 should beg the great priests (committee of C.M.S.) that they 
 should beg the English Queen to prevent bringing Barasa to 
 this land. 
 
 For God and the prophet's sake, for God and the prophet 
 His messenger's sake, he (Crowther) must help us in this 
 matter, that of Barasa. We all have confidence in him ; we 
 must not have our country to become spoiled by Barasa. 
 Tell him may God bless him and his work. This is the mouth 
 word from Maliki, the Emir of Nupe.
 
 272 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 
 
 Years have passed since this old African king 
 uttered this touching and fervent appeal, and it 
 would be an agreeable task to record a substantial 
 result of that appeal. But the time of the emanci- 
 pation of West Africa from the slavery of European 
 imported drink is not yet. It is still desolating these 
 people. If the Bishop were still with us he would 
 be the first to uplift an earnest remonstrance, and 
 appeal against the continuance of this curse upon 
 his beloved land. Whatever evidence may be ad- 
 duced as to the injurious effect of alcohol upon other 
 native races, the evil seems to reach its maximum 
 in extent and intensity in West Africa. It is, or 
 ought to be, unnecessary to affirm our responsibility 
 in this matter, especially as regards our new Nigerian 
 dependency, with its enormous possibilities in the 
 future. Lord Avebury said long ago that " the 
 partition of Africa can only be justified if the nations 
 of Europe regard their possessions as a sacred trust," 
 and still more important is the opinion of Sir George 
 Taubman Goldie, the founder of Nigeria, when he 
 has said : 
 
 I speak from sixteen years' experience . . . and to say 
 confidently that unless immediate steps be taken to stop this 
 traffic — not by higher duties, but by absolute prohibition — 
 a state of things •'Adll soon be brought about that must ulti- 
 mately lead to the entire abandonment of the country. . . . 
 I cannot believe that the conscience of Europe will long allow 
 that the vast populous regions of tropical Africa should be 
 used only as a cesspool of European alcohol. 
 
 Those who have the right to speak with a personal 
 knowledge of what their eyes have seen in West
 
 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 273 
 
 Africa declare that the present duty on spirits is 
 no bar to the evil, and that an increase would be in- 
 sufficient to arrest the progress of demoralization 
 among the natives. Bishop Johnson, one of its 
 able native bishops, declared that " European com- 
 merce, weighted as this commerce has been for many 
 years with the liquor traffic, has been as great a curse 
 to Africa, and greater than the oceanic slave trade." 
 Even still more effective was a statement made by 
 a Christian negro speaking to an audience in England, 
 when he brought out of a bag an ugly idol and said, 
 " This repulsive object is what we worshipped in 
 times past," and then he added, " now I will show you 
 what England has sent to be our god to-day," and 
 produced an empty gin bottle. Then he solemnly 
 affirmed that, judging from what he had seen of the 
 degradation of his people through drink, he would 
 have preferred that they had kept to the idol of their 
 forefathers. Perhaps the highest authority and the 
 one most immediately concerned in this question 
 is Bishop Tugwell, who has an accurate knowledge 
 of things as they are on this question in his huge 
 diocese, combined with a passionate love for the 
 native millions for whose welfare he is responsible. 
 He has drawn public attention to the drunkenness 
 of Lagos having lifted the death-rate to shocking 
 excess ; that the people are killing themselves with 
 drink in their own homes and in clubs formed for 
 the very purpose ; that the Kroo boy, who was 
 famous for his physique and character, has been 
 demorahzed ; that so great is this mad craze for alcohol, 
 
 T
 
 274 IN LABOURS MORE ABUNDANT 
 
 that the natives will only receive payment in trade 
 transactions in gin, and that nothing but immediate 
 and absolute prohibition will save the country from 
 ruin. 
 
 As an obstacle to missionary progress it is terrible 
 beyond words. We speak of facing Mohammedanism 
 in WestTAfrica, but we carry in our train a traitor 
 which will do its best to blot out every blessing Chris- 
 tianity may bring, and precede us with a new vice 
 which[the|Moslem in his darkness did hitherto avoid. 
 The white man's rehgion is checkmated by the white 
 man's drink.
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 
 
 IT wil] have been observed that the journals of 
 the Bishop, speaking generally, exhibit him as 
 a man of action, dealing more with incident than 
 opinion, and for his inner thoughts on things we 
 must look elsewhere. In a sense, of course, the facts 
 he graphically records are self-revealing ; unconsciously 
 he displays his characteristics of modesty, fidelity, 
 tact, and courage. What a spirit of compassion 
 this man had ! How hot was his indignation against 
 wrongdoing, especially if it was the oppression of 
 the weak by the brutal and strong ! Possibly these 
 scenes may also have shown his limitations : he made 
 no pretension of being anything but very human. 
 Mistakes he doubtless made, was at times possibly 
 taken advantage of, as the truly meek often are ; 
 as he grew older wisdom increased. There was no 
 arrest in his development, that flaw which so often 
 stiffens and contracts a man. 
 
 But the Bishop did not carry his heart upon his 
 sleeve, and to find it we must seek him when alone 
 writing a letter, or, better still, seek a corner in which 
 to listen while he delivers a charge to his native clergy. 
 
 275
 
 276 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 
 
 Here we see him in his fatherly aspect, giving wise 
 counsels, warning them off the rocks upon which 
 they may make shipwreck, inculcating sound doctrine, 
 and feeding them with the strong meat of Scripture, 
 the imperishable principles of the faith once delivered 
 to the saints, and stimulating their zeal to good works. 
 Besides which the Bishop, with his practical turn of 
 mind, would discuss industrial work in detail, and 
 urge the social development of his people, so that the 
 people might be diligent in business, as well as other- 
 wise serving the Lord. 
 
 As regards difficulties, he had to deal with a state 
 of things widely different from any EngHsh diocese. 
 Around every Httle church and station was a dark zone 
 of superstition and practices, such as, for instance, 
 polygamy, and he had to teach them what attitude they 
 should assume towards such an ingrained system of 
 African life. If this has proved a hard nut to crack in 
 the councils of experienced European missionaries, 
 how much more perplexing would the position be to 
 a native clergyman in the shallows of his training and 
 experience. Upon the subject of slavery he had 
 naturally very strong opinions, and it would have 
 been useless for any philosophic apologist for this 
 evil to dispute long in his presence thereon. Root 
 and branch, in his opinion, it was of the evil one, 
 and was responsible for the blight and misery of 
 his country. Like Livingstone, the Bishop was not 
 afraid to speak his mind, and to denounce because 
 he knew. And lastly, and perhaps especially, he 
 felt that he and his clergy were face to face with
 
 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 277 
 
 Mohammedanism, and he was particularly careful 
 in giving his advice as regards this, one of the greatest 
 hindrances in the way of Christianity in Africa. 
 On this point he took a decided stand, and maintained 
 it to the finish. It has been already seen how he 
 treated the Mohammedans as individuals, and that 
 wherever he came in contact with their rulers they 
 accepted him as a wise and righteous man. We shall 
 now pass in review his spoken or written views upon 
 these and other questions, apart from which some of 
 the letters will disclose many deeply interesting 
 personal touches. 
 
 In his first charge, delivered in 1867, the Bishop 
 very properly reviewed the work from the beginning, 
 in order " to know what has been done, in what way 
 it has been done, to detect our errors and correct them, 
 so as to be able to start with fresh vigour and earnest- 
 ness in the strength of the Lord in this good work." 
 He laments the breakdown of the Expedition of 1841, 
 and the consequent blow of disappointment it gave 
 to those who had projected it, and not less to the 
 natives, who had been encouraged to believe that a 
 bright era of light and prosperity had come to Africa. 
 
 It appeared as if the Niger was doomed to remain in per- 
 petual seclusion and its mighty waters destined to float down 
 only human cargoes, aggravating the miseries of the country 
 and her people, as if, instead of becoming a highway through 
 which to convey light, life, and liberty into the heart of the 
 country, it should present, as it were, an impassable barrier 
 to their introduction, and thus keep the people and country 
 still in the darkness of superstition, ignorance, and vice, in a 
 most servile and abject degradation and slavery, and in a 
 state of spiritual death, in trespasses and sins.
 
 278 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 
 
 He then recounts the subsequent history of the 
 mission, through what difficulties it has had to fight 
 its way and how, by a mysterious Providence, they 
 have had to lose by death some of their most valued 
 native helpers at a time when, in their human judg- 
 ment, they were most indispensable. But they have 
 cause for thankfulness : 
 
 ^When we look back to the results of these feeble attempts 
 to plant the banner of the Cross among our benighted country- 
 men, and that too under many disadvantageous circum- 
 stances, one of which has been a want of regular communication 
 and supplies — though we have not much to speak of — yet we 
 have cause to give thanks unto the Lord of the vineyard that, 
 under peculiar trying circumstances, He has not left Himself 
 without a witness. His Word, preached by faith in His name, 
 has not returned unto Him void ; marked changes have been 
 perceptibly observed and felt and pubUcly acknowledged by 
 both chiefs and people. The worship of idols is being duly 
 reflected upon by a large number of the population, as far as 
 our influence, or rather the influence of our preaching, has 
 been felt ; the system of idol worship is being looked upon by 
 such persons to be of no value, and the fears of receiving injury 
 from their imaginary deities are gradually losing their hold 
 upon the minds of the people. 
 
 Like the late Sir Fowell Buxton, the Bishop was 
 a firm believer in " the Gospel and the Plough " ; 
 in other words, the combination of Christianity 
 and industry. He tells his hearers that when he 
 arrived at Onitsha, in 1857, the people were in a state 
 of downright idleness ; they were scantily and filthily 
 clothed, the old crops were insufficient and they were 
 too lazy to grow more, though the soil was so ex- 
 ceedingly fertile. So when they had months of semi- 
 starvation they were content to live on wild fruits 
 and edible plants. But the mission introduced the
 
 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 279 
 
 cultivation of the cassava plants and other fruit 
 trees, and one of their pastors took great pains to 
 teach them to raise a second crop of Indian corn, 
 and to make more of their yams. Now, as a result, 
 they are cleanly and orderly, and so the effort of the 
 workers in this respect has not been altogether without 
 success. 
 
 I regard industry (says the Bishop) as a necessary though 
 a secondary part of missionary labours ; it is a direct com- 
 mand of the apostle Paul to the converts at Thessalonica : 
 " For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, 
 that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we 
 hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, 
 not working at all, but are busy-bodies. Now them that are 
 such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that 
 with quietness they work, and eat their own bread " (2 Thess. 
 iii. 10-12). Those who were already made converts are com- 
 manded and urged to habits of industry. I have enlarged 
 upon this head thus much to show that we have acted con- 
 sistently with our profession by introducing the Gospel and 
 the plough, or Christianity and industry ; both have worked 
 hand in hand — the Gospel primarily, industry as the hand- 
 maid to the Gospel. 
 
 But in these days it is necessary to guard such a statement 
 as I have now made from being misunderstood. Beware of 
 those who propose to suspend, at the beginning, teaching the 
 people by preaching, and first to teach them mechanical arts 
 and industrial habits to better their temporal condition ; and 
 then afterwards to introduce Christianity among the people 
 as a secondary thing ; then, say these men of reason, the 
 heathen will believe your preaching, because they will say 
 these men, who have taught us to make our houses better, to 
 cultivate our lands, and to better our temporal condition, 
 must be true in what they tell us of their new religion. I have 
 been positively told by one of these reasonable advisers that 
 unless I put aside teaching the natives the art of reading and 
 writing, and teach them carpentry, coopery, cookery, etc., he 
 would never subscribe a farthing towards my missionary work 
 to convert the heathen. 
 
 But, my dear brethren, to set aside these futile reasonings
 
 28o CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 
 
 we need not go as far as the Chinese or to the Hindoos in the 
 East, who have been notable for ages for skill in works of art 
 or for a state of affluence, and who are not behind in the 
 literature of the East. Let us look at home, and make our 
 advisers themselves our witnesses, who not only have the 
 honour of being the sons of the first nation in the world, the 
 country which is the seat of health and of arts and sciences, in 
 their present perfection, but also the sons of the nation which 
 is the mainspring of the world, through her wealth putting all 
 in motion both by land and water, through the invention of 
 steam, and who can communicate their minds from one 
 country to another with the quickness of the lightning through 
 electricity. Surely our advisers cannot deny this wonderful 
 pre-eminence attained by their nation above all others. Let 
 us ask them what favourable effects have these wonderful 
 advantages had upon their minds towards the reception of 
 the Gospel ? Do they so much as pay the smallest tribute to 
 the Bible and the religion which it teaches as being the source 
 from which all these blessings flow ? I fear there are no such 
 effects. Neither themselves nor many who maintain such an 
 opinion are found near the doors of the places where the 
 Gospel is preached ; it is to them foolishness. Would their 
 plan be more favourable among the heathens ? Painful ex- 
 perience belies this. 
 
 The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty, 
 through God, to the pulling down of strongholds ; it is the 
 faithful preaching of the Gospel, which is the power of God 
 unto salvation to every one that believeth ; it is that alone 
 which can work a change in hearts both at home and abroad. 
 
 While appreciating all agencies which would tend 
 to the civilization and betterment of his countrymen, 
 the Bishop always made a great point of keeping 
 first things first. He always accounted it the primary 
 duty of every missionary to preach the Gospel, and 
 he begged his clergy to maintain the simple efficacy 
 of the way of salvation. Let them not be led aside 
 by the counsels of men, nor make as their model in 
 conduct and service any but the Great Pattern, asking
 
 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 281 
 
 in every time of perplexity " What would Jesus do 
 in my place ? " He pleaded for a message that even 
 a child might take in : 
 
 Whether we hope to make converts from among the 
 heathen or from the followers of Mohammed, our aim should 
 always be to preach to all as to needy and helpless sinners 
 who must be pardoned through the atoning blood of Christ 
 alone. Preach without a prejudiced mind ; the hearts into 
 which the seed is sown belong to the Lord, who owns both 
 the seed and the hearts. The growth of the seed cast into such 
 a heart is in His power, just as we sow our natural seed both 
 morning and evening, and know not whether this or that 
 shall prosper, or whether both should be alike good. So must 
 we preach the Gospel to a mixed congregation of heathen and 
 Mohammedan, thus sowing by prayer and faith ; we must 
 leave the results to the Disposer of all hearts, who can in- 
 fluence them by the inspiration of His Holy Spirit. 
 
 Again, in preaching divest yourself of a disposition 
 with Mohammedans or to censure heathens ; rather be 
 possessed with the feelings of sympathy with all classes of 
 hearers. Whenever there is an opportunity of preaching to 
 or speaking with Mohammedans, unfold the truth of the 
 Gospel of Christ in its fulness, commending the truth to their 
 consciences in the sight of God. It was not always that 
 Christ made severe rebukes upon the Scribes and Pharisees, 
 as hypocrites, in His discourses, though some were always 
 probably present to hear Him, though not with the intention 
 to profit, but to watch and catch something from His mouth, 
 that they might accuse Him. Though He knew this, yet 
 generally He preached as if He knew not their wicked inten- 
 tions. The effects on them we are told thus : " Among the 
 chief rulers also many believed on Him ; but because of the 
 Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put 
 out of the synagogue : for they loved the praise of men more 
 than the praise of God." Even the officers who were sent on 
 one occasion to apprehend Him were disarmed by His power- 
 ful and resistless preaching, and returned without Him with 
 this conviction and frank confession of His heart-searching 
 sermon : " Never man spake like this Man." Aim at supply- 
 ing the hearts of the heathen with the infallible truth of the 
 Gospel of Christ, in the room of the doctrines and command- 
 ments of men.
 
 282 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 
 
 With the heathen population we have mostly and chiefly 
 to do ; them you must not censure as ignorant, stupid, and 
 foolish idolaters ; your dealing with them must be that of 
 sympathy and love, as you would deal with the blind who 
 errs out of the way. Surely he would not have wittingly gone 
 out of the way but for want of sight. Thus the Bible tells us : 
 " He [Satan] hath shut their eyes that they cannot see, and 
 their hearts that they cannot understand." 
 
 When we first introduce the Gospel to any people we 
 should take advantage of any principles which they them- 
 selves admit. Thus, though the heathen in this part of Africa 
 possess no written legends, yet wherever we turn our eyes 
 we find among them, in their animal sacrifices, a text which 
 is the mainspring of Christian faith : " Without shedding of 
 blood there is no remission." Therefore we may with pro- 
 priety say : " That which ye ignorantly practise, declare we 
 unto you." " The blood of Jesus Christ the Son of ^ God 
 cleanseth from all sin." 
 
 No man appreciated intellectual culture more than 
 the Bishop, and he frequently pointed out the dis- 
 advantage under which the African labours through 
 having no written language, and therefore no litera- 
 ture. He assured his clergy that, apart from gifts 
 of tongues, of healing and miracles, which God gave 
 as credentials of their Divine mission, the Apostles 
 found it a great advantage that the age in which 
 Christianity was introduced into the world was that 
 of literature. Both the Greeks and the Romans 
 were men of letters, with an imperishable treasure of 
 writings, the Jews were versed in the oracles of God, 
 the Thessalonians and Bereans searched the Scriptures, 
 and when those who used curious gifts were converted, 
 they brought out their books and burned them before 
 all men. In dealing with such a people, the Bishop 
 declares, you could get them to compare one writing
 
 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 283 
 
 with another, to search and prove for themselves, 
 not depending only upon the uttered word of the 
 Apostles. And this, he urges, is the advantage to-day, 
 where the missionary goes to a people who read for 
 themselves. But the African never had books, and 
 is not a reader. With this disadvantage, then, the 
 missionary must make a written language from the 
 lips of the natives, and then teach them the use of 
 it in books. And he shows that by patient effort they 
 have in this Niger mission succeeded in getting over 
 this difficulty : 
 
 This great drawback must be gradually overcome by a 
 steady and persevering labour in places where we have to 
 establish new missions. Where this great difficulty has been 
 overcome, the hitherto ignorant natives, who had never known 
 how to desire information from the thoughts of others through 
 the medium of books, nor how to communicate their own 
 thoughts to others through that channel, have betaken them- 
 selves, with all diligence, to acquire the art of reading ; and 
 it may be witnessed in those who have mastered this new and 
 mysterious acquirement what is their estimate of the art of 
 reading by their attachment to portions of God's Holy Word 
 translated into their native tongue, which they value as a 
 pearl of great price. They, having nothing here, like the Vedas 
 of the Hindoos, from which to argue for the antiquity of their 
 mythology, and nothing, like the Koran of the Mohammedans, 
 to stiffen them in arguing for the superiority of the religion of 
 Mohammed to that of Christ, receive the translated portions of 
 the Bible which we put into their hands with the eagerness 
 and simplicity of children, even the engrafted Word which is 
 able to save their souls. Thus God is overruling the very 
 great obstacle in the way of the rapid progress of Christian 
 missions, wherever it has been overcome, by persevering 
 labour and faith to a permanent establishment of the know- 
 ledge of His Gospel among the heathen. 
 
 But one of the most serious problems of the African 
 mission field was then, and is now, the universal
 
 284 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 
 
 system of polygamy. It is not easy, sitting by 
 an English fireside or enjoying the stimulating at- 
 mosphere of a missionary meeting, for home-staying 
 Christians to understand what a difficulty lies here. 
 It is not sufficient to waive its discussion aside as 
 a foregone conclusion of illegahty ; polygamy has such 
 an inherited hold upon the African character, its 
 roots go so far down, and spread out so widely, that 
 its treatment from a missionary point of view is not 
 so easy as might be imagined. It has also its discreet 
 apologists within Christian borders. Travellers have 
 come from explorations which have brought them 
 into intimate contact with the native at home, and 
 they have written pages in their travel books in which 
 the system is declared to be a necessity, and indeed 
 as a beneficial arrangement of family life in Africa. 
 This, however, has been more especially the case 
 where the writer has held a sort of watching brief for 
 Mohammedanism, because it is associated with and 
 sanctioned by the ruling professors of that creed. 
 English missionaries have been confronted with this 
 difficulty, and turned their faces homeward for the 
 best advice ; in some cases there seemed such possi- 
 bilities of success, if on this point things might be 
 left undisturbed, while to insist upon a man having 
 one wife and dismissing a dozen as an essential quali- 
 fication for church membership meant mountains 
 of failure. Upon one point, however, there could 
 be no considerable divergence of opinion, and that 
 was that a polygamist could not there, any more 
 than here, be a satisfactory Christian convert. The
 
 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 285 
 
 principle of more wives than one is so clearly at 
 variance with Christian teaching and rule that no 
 Church would venture upon a compromise to circum- 
 stances, however difficult, or practice, however ancient. 
 The position of the Bishop on such a question has 
 a special claim to our serious consideration. He 
 was a negro, had been brought up in touch with this 
 common system of his superiors ; he knew, if any 
 man could, its ramifications in tribal Hfe, and he saw, 
 as a Bishop, that whatever stand he took upon the 
 subject would be assumed also by his clergy with 
 implicit confidence. The clarion gave forth no un- 
 certain sound. Fearlessly grapphng with the subject, 
 before a native audience living in the midst of it, 
 he instructed his pastors what to think and do : 
 
 Many would place it prominently above all other obstacles 
 in the way of Christian missions in Africa, but perhaps I do 
 not go to the same extent as they do in ranking it as the 
 greatest hindrance in the way of the heathen embracing 
 Christianity, though it is the most common. The system 
 prevails throughout the country ; it insinuates itself into the 
 corrupt and unsubdued will of the children of Adam ; it has 
 become a second nature, to break off from it is to part with 
 the right eye, the right hand, or the right foot ; it is such a 
 darling system to depraved nature that it does not only 
 enslave the practisers of it themselves, but it presses thousands 
 of unwilUng victims into its service. So the song of the women 
 of Israel in honour of David after his successive victories over 
 the Philistines may be well appUed to this system : " Saul 
 has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands." Other 
 obstacles, taken separately, have kept back each its thousands, 
 but the system of polygamy its ten thousands. The system 
 is a web of the lust of the flesh, which is the parent evil. . . . 
 But when once the old man is crucified the meshes of polygamy 
 will give way, and the wrongly oppressed victims enclosed 
 therein will easily be set at liberty and the system abolished.
 
 286 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 
 
 " For the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made 
 me free from the law of sin and death " (Rom. viii. 2). 
 
 But as some have in this day advocated the admission of 
 polygamists into the Christian Church, let us honestly view 
 this subject in its various bearings and inquire into the law- 
 fulness and unlawfulness of the system from God's own Word 
 and acts and from its effect upon our social state and happiness. 
 
 The Bishop then took his Hstening clergy step by 
 step through the teaching of Holy Scripture on the 
 subject, showing that from the beginning, when 
 God put the first man into Eden and gave him a 
 helpmeet, right along to the Christian teaching of 
 the New Testament, it is the Divine law that 
 a man shall have one wife, and that to her he should 
 cleave without rivalry or dishonour. He has been 
 stirred up by reading reviews of recent books in the 
 English papers, in which polygamy is presented in 
 rosy colours, but he tells the naked truth about its 
 evil effects on his country-women : 
 
 It has enslaved the female population of the countries 
 where it prevails, and made many to be miserable victims to 
 the cruel lust and depraved appetite of one man. It has 
 wrenched from them the right of nature which God has im- 
 planted in each for her own social happiness. Let us stand 
 above the level and take a view of this social evil. We are in 
 the midst of it, and are in no danger of misrepresentation. . . . 
 It is impossible for every polygamist in this country to sup- 
 port from two to half a dozen wives out of his own scanty 
 resources, and when this is the case there is no alternative 
 but that every wife must enter into a life of labour and drud- 
 gery and shift for herself the best way she can. Hence to 
 earn her own livelihood she must become a carrier of loads 
 from one market town to another, or she must be a trader to 
 neighbouring towns and tribes, which involves an absence of 
 days and weeks and months from home, and on her return 
 it has not unfrequently happened that she provides for the 
 husband out of her earnings in addition to providing for her-
 
 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 287 
 
 self and her children, if she has any, for the chief care of the 
 children devolves on the mother and her relatives. The occa- 
 sional gift of a few cowries from the father to the children for 
 their morning gruel, and perhaps occasional share of yams 
 to the mother, constitute mainly the support of the father. . . . 
 It has been often remarked by the men themselves that when 
 a man had but one wife there was that degree of love and 
 affection between them as might be observed in a married 
 state in civilized countries — they were one in everything. 
 But no sooner was a second wife added than the cord of union 
 and affection was broken, and domestic evils immediately 
 showed themselves. Hence arose this memorable proverb 
 among the Yoruba females : Obiri ko rubo ki li orogun ("No 
 woman would ever undergo the expenses of a sacrifice to 
 procure a rival ") ; that is, that her husband may have an 
 additional wife. These are the feelings of the female popula- 
 tion on the subject. The proverb is their own ; it is their 
 watchword, showing the repugnance of their feelings against 
 the system, and may be heard among them to-day ; but it 
 is generally suppressed like their other proper rights, which 
 they forego for fear of being reproached with jealousy. 
 
 After denouncing the system of the harem of the 
 
 chief, often a walled enclosure like a prison, he strikes 
 
 at the roots of the evil of polygamy as consisting, not 
 
 for any useful purpose, but as an instrument of sin. 
 
 It must be remembered that these words were spoken 
 
 at a time when the system had found defenders in 
 
 England : 
 
 The system of polygamy will not check the evil of sen- 
 suality, or else we would not have occasion so often to witness 
 the accusation of one polygamist against another for intrusion 
 into his right. And if the principle be such as has been stated, 
 whether we look at it, on the one hand, from the personal 
 wrong done to the female sex, or, on the other hand, the in- 
 justice and oppression of which the man is guilty, who, I may 
 ask, correctly knowing this state of things, can conscientiously 
 recommend its continuance ? Captain Burton, referring to 
 this common practice of polygamy in his book on " Abeokuta 
 and the Cameroons," says : " Polygamy is the foundation-
 
 288 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 
 
 stone of Yoruba Society. I can assure these missionaries 
 that had less objection been made to polygamy on their part, 
 the heathen would have found fewer obstacles to conversion. 
 Those who hold it their duty to save souls should seriously 
 consider whether they are justified in placing such stumbling 
 blocks upon the path of improvement." 
 
 It has been suggested by some that the present polygamists 
 could be received into the Church by the Sacrament of baptism 
 on the condition that such persons promise not to add to their 
 already possessed wives ; but who can guarantee that young 
 persons will not purposely hold back till they have possessed 
 as many wives as their hearts desire before they offer them- 
 selves to be admitted into the Church by the same rite as the 
 example of their fathers ? The human heart is so deceitful 
 and desperately wicked that it will ever find a loophole to 
 gratify its carnal propensity. Once establish a precedent, you 
 cannot easily change it. 
 
 Having adverted to the system of polygamy as being a 
 great hindrance in the way of the male population to embrace 
 Christianity, it remains also to ask what hinders the female 
 population from a readier profession of religion. Whether 
 their husbands be polygamists or not, as long as a woman 
 remains faithful to her husband, upon her profession of faith 
 in Christ as the all-sufficient Saviour of sinners, after a course 
 of instruction she is received into the Church by baptism ; 
 her husband's fault cannot be imputed to her, and if her will 
 were consulted she would rather be the only helpmeet for him. 
 
 In his charge on 8 October, 1885, the Bishop drew 
 special attention to Mohammedanism, and in this 
 instance also he was moved to plainer speaking, 
 because certain travellers who had spent a com- 
 paratively short time in Africa had returned to Eng- 
 land to eulogize, by speech and written word, the 
 religion of the False Prophet. He evidently feared 
 lest in the minds of Christian people at home some 
 mistaken ideas might exist as to the real meaning 
 of Mohammedanism as a menace to the spread of 
 Christianity, especially in Africa. To many Islam
 
 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 289 
 
 is only a word, without a ripple of interest, to others 
 it is a force which terrifies in its possibilities ; others, 
 however, regard it as a beneficent factor in the hves 
 of millions. What Crowther thought will be gathered 
 from these words to his brethren : 
 
 Mohammedanism arms the hearts of its professors with 
 deadly weapons against Christianity, by denying its funda- 
 mental doctrine, the Sonship of Christ, and His Divinity as 
 one with God the Father to be blasphemy according to the 
 teaching of the Koran. Thus their hearts are hardened with 
 prejudices, self-conceit, self-righteous spirit, and self-confidence 
 in their meritorious religious performances, especially in 
 prayer and fasting and the works of supererogation, which 
 they believe they can make over for the benefit of others who 
 are deficient. 
 
 They are freely allowed the indulgence of the sinful lust 
 of the flesh ; they do not scruple to commit acts of cruelty 
 and oppression on those who are not professors of their faith. 
 Slave-holding and trading is fully sanctioned, to carry out 
 which slave wars are waged against the heathen with great 
 cruelty, in order to enslave them with oppression and violence 
 without remorse, contrary to the law of Christ : " Do to 
 others as you would they should do to you." Hence slave 
 wars have desolated the lands of populous heathen tribes and 
 nations, whose inhabitants were carried away captives and 
 sold into slavery ; and those who are reserved in the country 
 are doomed to perpetual servitude — hewers of wood and 
 drawers of water, and most oppressive tributaries. This is a 
 faint description of the soil of the minds of the professors of 
 Islam, in which the seed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is being 
 attempted to be sown by preaching repentance of sin and a 
 renewed change of heart through faith in Jesus Christ the 
 Son of God, who is the way, the truth, and the life, without 
 whom none can come to the Father. But for all his earnest- 
 ness the preacher is looked upon with horrified contempt as a 
 blasphemer, because God never had a Son. " There is no God 
 but God, and Mohammed is His prophet." 
 
 The Bishop subsequently pointed out how great 
 was the belief of these poor people in charms, and 
 u
 
 290 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 
 
 that he was continually being asked for scraps of 
 the Bible to wear as a means of preventing sickness. 
 He tells a curious story of an old chief who paid 
 him a visit while at Bida, bringing with him a present 
 of two fowls ; but it soon transpired that this generosity 
 was only to get from him in return a few sheets of 
 the white man's paper. On being pressed to disclose 
 what use he intended to make of it, the chief ad- 
 mitted that he had lost twelve horses, and was anxious 
 to keep the remaining one by tying protective charms 
 about its body. The Bishop, however, reasoned with 
 him, telling him that bits of paper with scraps of 
 writing, either from the Koran or the Bible, could 
 never charm away evil. He told him, moreover, 
 that for twelve years he had ridden the same horse 
 in his missionary journeys, without wearing a single 
 charm. What he did was to wash and currycomb 
 the horse regularly, never expose him to the sun at 
 midday, and always feed him well. This chief must 
 have been an open-minded man, for he thanked the 
 Bishop for his good advice, and said he would not 
 want any paper after that. 
 
 The Bishop, however, declared that the women 
 were really more under the spell of superstition 
 than the men. They were more addicted to idolatrous 
 worship, and so mixed up with their priestesses, 
 that it was very difficult to get over the barriers. The 
 position seemed different from that of other lands 
 and in other ages, when women were always the first 
 to believe. In this respect they are very much under 
 the influence of their grandmothers, who form one
 
 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 291 
 
 of the most serious hindrances to the spread of the 
 Gospel. They very much encourage and foster the 
 faith of children in that subtle system of charms 
 which the Mohammedans adopt to enslave the native 
 mind. They write short sentences of the Koran in 
 Arabic on bits of parchment, and sell these at a price 
 to suit all cases to the people. Some of these, the 
 Bishop pointed out, were used as protective charms, 
 making the wearer safe against any danger at home 
 or abroad, sickness, witchcraft, or the evil eye ; 
 warding off arms in war, blunting the edges of swords, 
 etc. ; also vanishing charms to enable him to dis- 
 appear from the clutch of an enemy, and, to mention 
 no others, there are the confounding charms, which 
 are supposed to enchant others, so that they cannot 
 stir. 
 
 The Bishop truly said on this subject, " Can we be 
 surprised that the foolish heathen, who are thus 
 worked up by a man looking into a book and writing 
 out such scraps from it in the name of God and Mo- 
 hammed His prophet, are more easily made converts 
 to Mohammedanism than to Christianity ? But Chris - 
 tian missionaries cannot have recourse to such deceits 
 to recommend the way of salvation to the heathen." 
 
 In the course of a noteworthy speech delivered 
 at Exeter Hall at the May meeting in 1873, the Bishop 
 told his audience how Moslem converts are made, 
 and showed the superficial and superstitious character 
 of the native profession of that creed. 
 
 If it be said that Mohammedanism makes more converts 
 than Christianity, I say it is true. Mohammedanism makes
 
 292 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 
 
 converts because it finds the native mind in a fit state to 
 receive its teaching. The whole country was heathen some 
 two hundred years ago, when Mohammedanism made inroads 
 into the interior ; and through slave wars they made con- 
 quests, and those who were conquered must become Moham- 
 medan or be sold into foreign slavery. Of the two alternatives, 
 certainly it is better to become a Mohammedan than to be 
 sold away and to be transported across the Atlantic. When 
 I went to the banks of the Niger I saw Mohammedans opening 
 their schools, and men and women went to them. What did 
 they go for ? To receive scraps of the Koran. When a man 
 goes to the market he will go to the priest and ask for success 
 in his trade, and a mother will go and ask for prosperity in 
 her household. The Mohammedan priest issues scraps of paper 
 to these people. He tells the man who goes to market to tie 
 one of these scraps round his neck and he will be successful ; 
 and he tells the mother who goes to ask for prosperity in her 
 household that it shall be well with her. And the poor super- 
 stitious people receive these papers, and when anything 
 happens as was foretold the child becomes a Mohammedan. 
 I was applied to by heathens to give them scraps of paper the 
 same as the Mohammedan priests did, and I refused. Even 
 some of our friends, the Europeans, would say : " Give them 
 papers, it does no harm." But I said it does a great deal of 
 harm. If I would have given them scraps of paper, I could 
 have given them scraps of the Lord's Prayer, and have got 
 them to come to me. But these papers would have led them 
 into error, and we do not make our converts that way. God 
 forbid. I would rather let the Mohammedans take possession 
 of the field, and that we should be without any converts at all, 
 than that we should use cunningly devised frauds to deceive 
 souls, leading them into hell. 
 
 Upon the practical question of how to deal with 
 Mohammedans the Bishop had something to say 
 to his clergy. His advice will probably commend 
 itself to missionaries even at this present time. He 
 indicates a course of courtesy, and demonstrates how 
 much evil in the past has accrued from ignorance 
 of the Moslem, and consequent mistakes in managing
 
 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 293 
 
 him. On this subject extracts from three letters 
 written by the Bishop will be of interest. In the 
 first he is insisting on the value of a knowledge of 
 Arabic in work among Moslems ; in the second he 
 shows their willingness to receive the word of testi- 
 mony ; and in the third, written thirty-five years 
 later, we see even the mallams paying due respect 
 to the Christian Scriptures : 
 
 To the Rev. Hy. Venn. 
 
 Fernando Po, 22 June, 1857. 
 It is very useful to be exercised in Greek and Latin, and 
 if possible, in Hebrew characters and inflections, but I think 
 Arabic ought to have the first place in these classic studies. 
 All our Mohammedan population with whom we came in daily 
 contact, both in Sierra Leone, in Yoruba, and up the Niger, 
 have more or less knowledge of the use of Arabic characters. 
 As our labours are now extending among this class of people, 
 it is necessary that the ordained native missionaries should 
 know also the use of these characters. It will have fresh effect 
 to meet these Mohammedans with their own weapons, not so 
 much by argument and vexatious disputations, but by the 
 Christian minister being able simply to point out from his 
 Arabic Bible the important truths of Christianity. Though 
 they may not believe, yet they will be humbled at the superior 
 knowledge of their own book. 
 
 To the Rev. Hy. Venn. 
 
 Rabba, 8 Feb., 1859. 
 
 In spite of misrepresentations from the enemies of Chris- 
 tianity, the mission huts are frequently visited by very large 
 numbers of caravans from the interior. Abbe j a is very useful 
 here ; last Sunday there were several groups of visitors around 
 him, with whom he spoke on religious subjects and read to 
 them portions of the Word of God from the New Testament 
 in Hausa. 
 
 I have instructed him to tell the people who Christ is and 
 what He teaches in His Gospel, and leave them to judge for 
 themselves, leaving Mohammed and his doctrine alone, for we 
 have only to deliver our message and that from the Word of
 
 294 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 
 
 God. We have always had listening ears, and confession of 
 self-condemnation was made by many hearers. If we can do 
 nothing more for the present at Rabbah than spread the 
 truth of the Gospel among the thousands of the interior in 
 this way, ought we not to be thankful ? 
 
 To the Rev. R. Lang. 
 
 Kipo Hill Station, 19 Nov., 1883. 
 There are two Arabic readers about the village who assume 
 the title of priests, also attendants of services at Katsa, who 
 listened attentively to the preaching of the Gospel ; but, not 
 content with what they heard only, are desirous of reading 
 the same from the Arabic Bible at the station, and have since 
 attended the Sunday-school for this purpose to read passages 
 of Scripture ; though they could not give a correct transla- 
 tion in the native language of what they read in Arabic, yet 
 Mr. Paul always gave them a correct translation from the 
 English Bible translated into the native language. At Mr. 
 Paul's visit to Katsa, Sunday the nth, a Mohammedan hearer 
 from the interior was disposed to argue a point against Chris- 
 tianity, but the priest Atiku, a Foulah, one of the Arabic 
 Sunday-school attendants, immediately cautioned the stranger 
 of his ignorance, for they knew nothing in comparison to what 
 the Anasara knew as regards their religions. This at once 
 shut the stranger up, who remained during the service to hear 
 what was preached. 
 
 On 13 October, 1874, the Bishop addressed a 
 gathering of his clergy at Onitsha. Many changes 
 had taken place during the past five years. Death 
 had been busy ; they were mourning the loss of two 
 native pastors, the Rev. F. Langley and Mr. O. E. 
 Cole, and also of Mrs. Johnson, a faithful worker in 
 the Brass mission. The old King of Onitsha, who 
 had welcomed the mission so far back as 1857, had 
 died of a good old age ; his son, Idiari, a very promising 
 successor, had been carried off by an epidemic, and 
 now the country was without a ruler, and plunged 
 in anarchy. About the same time Masaba, the
 
 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 295 
 
 famous old King of Nupe, had breathed his last, and 
 his nephew, Umoru Shiaba, had stepped into the 
 throne, and was doing well. Times of violent per- 
 secution had swept over the Christians, but God had 
 kept the infant churches alive, and there was much 
 cause for thankfuhiess. The Bishop had pointed 
 out the white fields of need, and now exhorts his 
 fellow-labourers to brace themselves up for the reap- 
 ing, and seeks to inspire their hearts with courage, 
 bidding them look up and fear not. It is the appeal 
 of a leader of brave, good men : 
 
 But who is sufi&cient for this work ? We are ready to 
 despair as the spies did who viewed the land of Canaan, when 
 they returned and said : " The cities are walled up to heaven, 
 and the trenches are deep to the bowels of the earth ; the 
 people are tall, strong, and numerous ; we appeared as feeble 
 kids before them : we shall not be able to overcome them." 
 
 The statement of their great strength was perfectly correct 
 — they were emblems of the castles of Satan in human hearts 
 which St. Paul calls strongholds. If we confer with flesh and 
 blood, if our weapons are carnal, if we have to use cunningly 
 devised fables, seeking our own glory ; if we make use of the 
 name of Jesus to answer our end and object amongst those 
 whom Satan has so long strongly possessed and fortified with 
 idolatry, superstition, and darkness of ignorance — blindly 
 prejudiced in favour of the customs of their forefathers — we 
 cannot expect otherwise but a reaction upon ourselves, the 
 like results upon the seven sons of Sceva, to whom the evil 
 spirit answered : " Jesus I know, and Paul I know ; but who 
 are you ? " — a disappointment and a total failure. 
 
 But when we go out at the command of Jesus to preach 
 the Gospel to the heathens as Christ's faithful soldiers and 
 servants, having no other objects in view but the glory of God 
 and the salvation of souls, we need not fear. Even the devils 
 will be made subject unto us through His name ; the castle 
 of Satan will fall flat before us like the walls of Jericho before 
 the Ark of the Covenant by the seven priests merely blowing 
 the seven trumpets before it, at the command of the Lord. If
 
 296 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 
 
 we have faith even as small as a grain of mustard seed, what- 
 soever we ask in prayer, believing, we shall have from the 
 Captain of an army, who is always with us and will be unto 
 the end of the world. 
 
 But, thanks be to God, I trust we can sincerely say we 
 are not of them which corrupt the word of God ; but as we 
 are put in trust of the Gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing 
 men, but God, who trieth the hearts. His sure precepts are 
 our encouragement ; His ability to accomplish His purposes 
 of man's redemption is our hope of success ; His willingness 
 to save all who come to Him in the name of Jesus Christ His 
 Son is a stimulus to labour, to preach to and invite those who 
 are dead in trespasses and sins to awake and arise from the 
 dead, and Christ shall give them Ught. I believe that we have 
 not been left to ourselves ; this the review of our five years' 
 service will show. Though we have been assailed with the 
 usual weapons of Satan — persecutions, false accusations, 
 slanders, hatred — yet we have been upheld till now ; though 
 sorely wounded, yet not mortally ; though sorely tried, yet 
 not above what we are able to bear ; and by the supporting 
 grace of the great Head of the Church we are what we are — 
 still His witnesses, both to the wise and unwise, both to bond 
 and free. 
 
 In touching upon the state of the various stations 
 of the mission the Bishop displays his characteristic 
 frankness. As an instance of this, as regards Bonny, 
 he reminds his hearers that for buildings, school- 
 chapels, boarding-house, and dwelling-houses, with 
 galvanized roofs, this place has had the reputation 
 of being the first and most successful. 
 
 " But this is an empty show, the shell without 
 kernel, the leafy fig tree without fruit. It verifies 
 the truth, ' Every kingdom divided against itself 
 is brought to desolation, and every city or house 
 divided against itself shall not stand.' " He speaks 
 of the internal condition of the country, the hostility 
 of the ruling chiefs, once so favourable, and how the
 
 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 297 
 
 division of the population consequent on the civil 
 war has half emptied the church, and brought Bonny 
 as a mission station very low indeed. Christian slaves 
 had refused to paddle the canoes on Sundays, and 
 from a spirit of spite their masters were secretly and 
 severely punishing them for not joining in idolatrous 
 worship. The Bishop had intervened and used his 
 own judgment in putting things right. 
 
 At Brass, too, they had suffered much persecution. 
 A secret plot to ensnare the Christian chiefs and set 
 their town and mission premises at Tuwon in flames at 
 midnight was providentially discovered in time. The 
 matter was referred to the King, who was a traitor 
 in disguise, and while the agents of the mission were 
 promised safety, the native converts were fined heavily. 
 
 In face of these chequered experiences the good 
 Bishop gives them some final counsels, as to the value 
 of example, of study, and of a faithful heart. His 
 fatherly words were listened to in breathless silence, 
 and many hearts were deeply stirred : 
 
 My dear brethren, we ourselves must be equipped for the 
 fight ; we must therefore put on the whole armour of God 
 that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 
 First, unblemished character. " In all things showing thyself 
 a pattern of good works : in doctrine showing uncorrupted- 
 ness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech, that cannot be con- 
 demned ; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, 
 having no evil thing to say of you." This emboldens Christian 
 teachers to face the enemy. 
 
 Secondly, in order to our attainment of uncorrupt doctrine, 
 we must implore the teaching of God's Holy Spirit, for He 
 was particularly promised to the disciples to this end. " But 
 the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father 
 will send in My name. He shall teach you all things, and bring
 
 298 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 
 
 all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto 
 you." Yet this promise does not preclude personal applica- 
 tion in habit of reading and studying. In regard to this we 
 have the injunction of St. Paul to Timothy : " Till I come 
 give attendance to reading, to exhortation, and to doctrine." 
 Neither did the apostle himself, with all his miraculous gifts 
 and abundant revelations, slight the privilege of book reading. 
 In his imprisonment he felt the want of such ordinary source 
 of information, as well as the use of his cloak to shelter him 
 from the cold. " The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, 
 when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but espe- 
 cially the parchments." 
 
 Although some of you have had a few years' advantage of 
 college education at Sierra Leone, to discipline your minds 
 and prepare you for a future usefulness, yet you must not 
 consider these advantages as the foundation on which you 
 have to build your knowledge of missionary life and labour ; 
 you must have some one still to guide you to attain right 
 doctrine, you must still sit at the feet of a Gamaliel in the 
 capacity of some standing books, written by the fathers of 
 the Protestant faith of riper years and mature extensive ex- 
 perience and of deep research into divine things. The Homilies 
 of the United Church of England and Ireland well read, and 
 their Divine Spirit and sound principles imbibed, cannot fail 
 to enlarge your knowledge of the Holy Scriptures and settle 
 your faith in the sound doctrines of the Christian religion 
 The same is applicable to the standard works of other evan- 
 gelical fathers of the Protestant faith, who had devoted the 
 best part of their lives in digging deep into the unfathomable 
 mines of God's revelation as far as they could go, and com- 
 mitted the results of as much of their deep research and 
 discovery into writing for the help and information of succeed- 
 ing generations, of the hidden treasures, of the mysteries of 
 God's plan for the salvation of men. 
 
 These are left on record, which will ever be invaluable 
 helps to young students in diversity who are willing to be led 
 by them till their own thoughts are formed, and, being guided 
 by the unerring spirit of truth, they may be able to descend 
 deeper into the mines of those deep mysteries without making 
 use of the ladders of others, to search for themselves the 
 impenetrable purposes of God for the salvation of mankind. 
 We are but a Church in embryo ; we must derive nourish- 
 ment from the mother. If we thus build upon the foundation
 
 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 299 
 
 of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the 
 chief corner-stone, we need not fear any test when trial of our 
 work is come to be made. Let us bear this important truth 
 in mind, and more so as we are not introducing Christianity 
 among the superstitious heathen only, but are gradually 
 advancing among bigoted Mohammedans also, some of whom 
 are inquiring of the reason of the hope which is in us in Christ 
 Jesus, that we may be able to give it with meekness and 
 reverence. 
 
 At first sight it would seem quite superfluous for 
 
 the Bishop to warn his clergy against losing sight of 
 
 their nationality, and not taking sufficient heed of 
 
 the native customs and ideas which they met round 
 
 about them. But he knew his people well. These 
 
 native pastors would be specially liable to the adoption 
 
 of European ideas without stint ; their outward 
 
 dress and their inward thought would be quite soon 
 
 enough and sufficiently after the pattern of the white 
 
 man. He warned them against expecting too much 
 
 from their converts, and not to force them to abandon 
 
 what is perfectly natural and becoming in their life 
 
 for a merely artificial imitation of the English. 
 
 Christianity has come into the world (he says) to abolish 
 and supersede all false religions, to direct mankind to the only 
 way of obtaining peace and reconciliation with their offended 
 God. It condemns all vices, reforms the morals, and recom- 
 mends virtues as laid down in the Gospel of Christ, the great 
 Law-giver of the New Covenant. These we must impress 
 upon the minds of our converts from heathenism, and point 
 out to them from the Word of God. But it should be borne 
 in mind that Christianity does not undertake to destroy 
 national assimilation ; where there are any degrading super- 
 stitious defects, it corrects them ; where they are connected 
 with politics, such connections should be introduced with due 
 caution and with all meekness of wisdom, that there may be 
 good and perfecting imderstanding between us and the powers 
 that be ; that, while we render to all their dues, we may
 
 300 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 
 
 regard it as our bounden duty to stand firm in rendering to 
 God the things that are God's. 
 
 Their native mutual aid clubs should not be despised, but 
 where there is any connection with superstitions they should 
 be corrected and improved after a Christian model. Amuse- 
 ments are acknowledged on all hands to relieve the mind and 
 sharpen the intellect. If any such is not immoral or indecent, 
 tending to corrupt the mind, but merely an innocent play for 
 amusement, it should not be checked because of its being 
 native and of a heathen origin. Of this kind of amusements 
 are fables, story telling, proverbs, and songs, which may be 
 regarded as stores of their national education, in which the 
 heathen exercise their power of thinking ; such will be im- 
 proved upon and enriched from foreign stocks as civilization 
 advances. Their religious terms and ceremonies should be 
 carefully noticed ; a wrong use made of such terms does not 
 depreciate their real value, but renders them more valuable 
 when we adopt them in expressing scriptural terms in their 
 right senses and places, though they have been misapplied for 
 want of better knowledge. 
 
 I hope these few hints will guard you against the common 
 prejudices which are apt to prevail in your minds against 
 native usages in general because they have their origin from 
 a heathen state. If judicious use be made of native ideas, the 
 minds of the heathen will be better reached than by attempt- 
 ing to introduce new ones quite foreign to their way of thinking. 
 Improved habits will keep pace with the Christian civilization 
 of the rising generation, whose education should be properly 
 attended to as early as children can possibly be collected. 
 Many awkward native habits may gradually be dropped and 
 other more comfortable ones be introduced in their stead as 
 matters of conscience ; and thus the state of Society will be 
 imperceptibly improved without forcing it. When once 
 Christianity has taken a firm hold among the people then will 
 follow in its train many attendant blessings. 
 
 The presence of the Bishop on a public platform 
 was always an interesting feature, and especially 
 when his theme was some phase of missionary work 
 in his own country. At a great missionary gathering 
 in London, in bidding some workers farewell on
 
 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 301 
 
 going to their post of duty in the field, he drew at- 
 tention to the special difficulties which they would 
 have to face ; when leaving the sphere of British 
 influence and protection, they would find themselves 
 where heathenism was in unrestrained activity. 
 These new surroundings made it necessary to walk 
 carefully, lest by an act of indiscretion they might 
 prejudice the future freedom and success of the mission. 
 He stood there also to vindicate the courage and 
 faith of the converts, and show his hearers that 
 whatever persecution might essay, it could not ex- 
 tinguish that Divine lamp of truth which God had 
 lit in dark Africa. And before sitting down he en- 
 forced the value of simple and scriptural teaching 
 among the heathen : 
 
 In such places we are in the hands and under the control 
 of a heathen Government. And how do we proceed ? We 
 do not carry with us any inducement to the chiefs to allow 
 us to remain in their country or to introduce our religion ; we 
 go with nothing but the Bible in our hands, and we simply 
 declare that we are messengers sent to proclaim a doctrine 
 from heaven for the salvation of mankind. At first the people 
 do not know what this doctrine can be. Many of them seem 
 to suppose that it is some new religion which may be added 
 to their own, for there is a great multiplicity of gods in heathen 
 countries. The people are always ready to adopt the gods of 
 other nations. When they hear of a god who is very powerful, 
 whether for affording protection or for granting wealth, or for 
 giving some other advantage to his worshippers, they are 
 ready to add this new false god to their own gods. Well, in 
 like manner when these Africans in the interior heard of the 
 God of the white man they thought at first that He would 
 probably bring them some great worldly advantage ; but 
 when we preached to them the doctrines of the Christian 
 religion, when we repeated to them the commandment, " Thou 
 shalt have none other gods but Me," or the declaration,
 
 302 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 
 
 " There is no other name given under heaven whereby men 
 must be saved except Jesus Christ and Him crucified," they 
 began to look up and say, " This is a very strange religion." 
 When we preached in their streets children came, and at first 
 listened suspiciously ; but the result was that some of the 
 listeners refused to bow down to the false gods of their fathers 
 and mothers, and then a spirit of opposition was excited. It 
 was gradually perceived by persons of influence that the 
 missionaries are inducing numbers of the natives to forsake 
 idol worship ; and when the priests and priestesses began to 
 complain to the native authorities, they saw that their religion 
 was in danger, and hence arose persecution. There was no 
 Government interference to suppress that persecution. Those 
 who had for some time been watching for an opportunity of 
 attack were glad when it arrived, and the result was that a 
 persecution arose against the missionaries, and the Christians 
 were all driven out of the country. 
 
 But do you call that a failure ? In travelling along the 
 road I have been asked : " What about the Abeokuta Chris- 
 tians?" " What about the Abeokuta missions ? " "Well," 
 I have replied, " they are all scattered ; but though it is 
 night with us now daylight shall come." I have told those 
 who questioned me that we were bound to be prepared for 
 such events from the very fact that we were the aggressors 
 and not the natives. It was me, and not they, who demanded 
 that the gods of their fathers should be set aside. We de- 
 manded in the name of Jesus Christ that they should cast 
 their idols to the moles and to the bats ; in the name of our 
 Master we preached to them repentance towards God and 
 faith towards Jesus Christ, and called upon them to forsake 
 their sins and lead, by the help of God's grace, a life of holi- 
 ness. It was we who were the aggressors, and it was not 
 natural that Satan, whose kingdom we attacked, should sit 
 still and make no struggle to regain what he had lost. I told 
 those to whom I have alluded that although we were " perse- 
 cuted," yet we were not " cast down." In connection with the 
 persecution of Abeokuta I must take this opportunity of vindi- 
 cating the Christian character, the zeal, the energy, and the 
 courage of the missionaries who were then labouring in the town. 
 
 Almost at the very time when the attack was made at 
 Abeokuta, and the people seemed determined, as it were, to 
 pull down Christianity, an attack was made upon myself on 
 the banks of the Niger, as if the two nations were in corre-
 
 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 303 
 
 spondence with each other as regards the time of attack, 
 though I think they had hardly ever heard of each other. 
 
 As regards our mission work at Abeokuta, what has been 
 done resembles what occurred when St. Paul was at Ephesus. 
 and when Demetrius called a meeting of men of like occupa- 
 tion with himself and represented to them that their craft 
 was in danger. When Paul was persuading the people every- 
 where that they be no gods which are made with hands, 
 Demetrius and his friends cried out publicly, not in the name 
 of their craft or their wealth — that motive had been carefully 
 concealed — but they cried out in the name of religion, and for 
 two hours there was heard the cry : " Great is Diana of the 
 Ephesians ! " It was in that way that a mob was created. A 
 dozen people may by that means get two thousand people to 
 join them. Something like the scene of Ephesus occurred at 
 Abeokuta ; the cry then resembled that of Ephesus : " Great 
 is Diana of the Ephesians ! " and the result was that the 
 mission houses were attacked, the mission property was 
 plundered, and the mission churches were spoiled. On a 
 Sunday morning, when the native converts were ready to go 
 to church and their children to attend the Sunday-schools, 
 they were attacked without any notice, and before the after- 
 noon they were all stripped, even to the caps on their heads and 
 almost the shirts on their backs, and there they were left 
 friendless, houseless, and penniless. 
 
 Happily they met with the protection of a certain chief. 
 This man had been urged to join in the persecution, but in 
 God's providence he refused to do so. The man who thus 
 refused to become a persecutor was one of the most wicked 
 men in Abeokuta, and it seems astonishing that such men 
 should be raised up by God to protect His people and His 
 cause. This man, I say, refused to join in the persecution, 
 and it was owing to that cause alone that the missionaries' 
 lives were preserved. 
 
 Before sitting down I wish to allude to Onitsha, on the 
 banks of the Niger. There were on one occasion nine European 
 persons assembled there from Her Majesty's ships and mer- 
 chant vessels, paying a visit to the sovereign, when some chiefs 
 took an occasion to make an attack upon Christianity, no 
 doubt wanting to feel their way and see what materials we 
 were made of. When these gentlemen had talked about the 
 object of their visit, the King of the place said : " Yes, we 
 heard what you say, but we wish to know what presents the
 
 304 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 
 
 missionaries have to give." Our reply was that we had no 
 presents to give. What was especially desired in this case was 
 that I, as the headman, to use their expression, over the 
 native Christians in that neighbourhood, should make a law 
 that all the converts should return to heathenism. The chiefs 
 wanted me to give a law to the Christians of Onitsha that they 
 should join their fathers and mothers in offering sacrifices, 
 and also wanted me to prohibit the Christians from eating 
 certain fish in the river which they deemed sacred, and to do 
 various other things of the same kind. I called to one of my 
 catechists to give me my Bible, and holding it in my hand I 
 said : " This is the message I have to deliver : to command 
 these converts to return to idolatry is out of my power. I 
 cannot do it, and I dare not do it. If I had power to prevent 
 the soul of any of those converts from leaving the body I might 
 have power to give them permission to return to idolatry ; 
 but they will not and should not return to it ! " One of the 
 converts then came forward and said : " Do you know me ? " 
 He belonged to a good family, and at once arrested the atten- 
 tion of the King. " I was a wicked one," he went on to say, 
 " a notorious character, a great troubler of the town before 
 Christianity came to this country, but since it came it has 
 made the country what it is, and particularly it has made me 
 what I am. What can have made me so different from what 
 I was ? It is the Christian religion, and that religion I will 
 never give up ; you shall rather take my life than make me give 
 up that religion, which is the power of God to my salvation." 
 
 The Bishop never addressed his fellow-workers 
 in these charges without taking the opportunity 
 of discussing every phase of the subject of a native 
 ministry, which at the time was uppermost in 
 their thoughts. Just at this stage of the work many 
 educated Africans were discussing, not only the 
 advantage of native agency in missionary labour 
 in their country, but whether Africans could re- 
 generate their own people without outside aid. The 
 remark had been made, " Africa for the Africans, 
 the rest of the world for the rest of mankind."
 
 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 305 
 
 The Bishop was tlierefore quite ready to discuss 
 this patriotic standpoint of view : 
 
 I myself, being an African and a missionary, must be 
 allowed to be somewhat qualified to answer the question from 
 personal experience. The author of the remark about "Africa 
 for the Africans " no doubt had his own views on the subject, 
 and may have used the phrase either in a political, commercial, 
 or evangelical sense. It will be quite foreign to my purpose 
 to meddle with either of the first two senses, if they were 
 meant ; but inasmuch as the latter — the evangelization of 
 Africa — may be implied in the idea, I may say a few words 
 on that head. The question which we have to ask is : Are the 
 Africans yet able to regenerate Africa without foreign aid ? 
 
 The Bishop proceeded to give two reasons why 
 this was not possible ; viz. the absolute necessity 
 of men and money. While speaking in words of 
 warm appreciation of the work done at the training 
 centres, the Fourah Bay College and the Freetown 
 Grammar School, in providing such well-equipped 
 and efficient men, not only for the mission work, but 
 for the departments of the civil service, he pointed 
 out how unequal the supply of men was to the demand : 
 
 We must remember that those already mentioned are 
 employed and at work at their posts ; we must not forget 
 that the ranks of the soldiers must be thinned by death ; and 
 if advanced posts are to be taken and occupied, we must have 
 men in reserve to fill up vacancies as well as to occupy ad- 
 vanced posts. They must be qualified men, well versed in 
 scriptural knowledge, and, above all, sound in Christian 
 character ; they must " have a good report of them that are 
 without," " full of faith and of the Holy Ghost," self-denying 
 in the service of their divine Master. 
 
 Deahng with the necessity of accepting the generous 
 gifts of friends in England, the Bishop said that it 
 would be impossible for the infant Church in West
 
 3o6 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 
 
 Africa to keep its feet or enlarge its borders. He 
 spoke of the willingness of the native Christians to 
 do all in their power for the support of Christianity, 
 and how much the Mother Church appreciated this 
 evidence of their zeal and practical interest in the 
 work of the Gospel. But they are still too young and 
 feeble to bear responsibility without outside assistance. 
 It must be remembered that the Bishop is speaking 
 these words in the year 1869, when the idea of a 
 purely native Church on the Niger was as yet on the 
 dim horizon of the future. With rare prescience 
 he foresaw the possibility of such a development, 
 and while carefully guarding against any wild or 
 imprudent ambitions in that direction, which would 
 forestall and perhaps injure the prospects of the native 
 Church of years to come, he has in this charge given 
 a clear note of hope which is significant and worthy 
 of record. It is evident that the cry " Africa for 
 the Africans " had been foolishly used as regards 
 the evangelization of the whole continent : 
 
 If it were possible (says the Bishop) to go out now in the 
 simple character and spirit of the primitive missionaries and 
 preach the Gospel, " providing neither gold, nor silver, or 
 brass in our purses," etc., on the principle of faith that God 
 will provide our daily food, shall we find the men among our- 
 selves ready to go out in the name of Christ and do so ? . . . 
 No one can desire our self-support and independent action 
 more than the Mother Church, whose offspring we are. The 
 timid and anxious trial she is now and then making by a 
 gradual withdrawal of foreign influence, by leaving the 
 superintendence of entire parishes and training schools to the 
 native agents which now constitute the native pastorate, is a 
 clear evidence that no one would rejoice more than she to see 
 the largest portion of West Africa entirely worked by African
 
 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 307 
 
 pastors and missionaries on a self-supporting system if they 
 are so circumstanced as to be able to do so. . . . The small 
 spots occupied as mission stations on the line of coast, at great 
 distances of some hundreds of miles apart, which are touched 
 at by Royal Mail steamers, do not constitute the whole 
 continent of Africa to be evangelized. These places are mere 
 ports, occupied only as starting points to work the main con- 
 tinent teeming with population, of the immense number of 
 which we have no correct idea until we actually enter among 
 them. 
 
 What has been done to evangelize the one hundred tribes 
 represented by the liberated Africans in the colony of Sierra 
 Leone, such as the kingdoms of Ashantee, Dahomey, Yoruba, 
 Benin, Nupe, Hausa, Bornu, and Ibo on this part of the 
 continent ? By the side of one of these kingdoms all the spots 
 occupied on the line of coast put together will appear as a 
 very little speck, without saying a word of those on the north, 
 south, and east of the continent. " Africa for the Africans," 
 the rest of the world for the rest of mankind ! Can the idea 
 thus expressed and widely circulated be applied to the evan- 
 gelization of Africa ? If so, and it be adopted as a watch- 
 word, let us rise up and be doing. The land is before us ; let 
 us enter the length and the breadth of it and bring the nations 
 to Christ. " Now is the accepted time, now is the day of 
 salvation." If we delay, thousands on thousands will con- 
 tinue to pass away into eternity without the knowledge of 
 Christ, without hope, and without God in the world. Woe be 
 unto us if we preach not unto them the Gospel of salvation in 
 due time ! . . . 
 
 When we think of the wealth and the advanced civilization 
 and enlightenment of Europe, Asia, and America — three great 
 quarters of the globe — when we reflect that, notwithstanding 
 their great advancement, yet Christians from one quarter go 
 into the others to evangelize the heathen portions of these 
 quarters, when we consider the vast population of China and 
 India — both wealthy and skilful in arts and sciences, and yet 
 into these countries Christian missionaries are sent by scores 
 from other nations to evangelize the heathen, and their help 
 is hailed with inexpressible joy by the sons of the soil — is it 
 not an act of great ignorance, not to say unpardonable selfish- 
 ness, on the part of any man to claim " Africa for the Africans 
 alone," when she is neither wealthy, skilful, nor enlightened, 
 to the exclusion of others from other quarters of the globe ?
 
 308 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 
 
 Africa has neither knowledge nor skill to devise plans to 
 bring out her vast resources for her own improvement, and, 
 from want of Christian enlightenment, cruelty and barbarity 
 overspread the land to an incredible degree. Therefore to 
 claim " Africa for the Africans alone " is to claim for her the 
 right of continued ignorance to practise cruelty and acts of 
 barbarity as her perpetual inheritance. For it is certain, 
 unless help came from without, a nation can never rise much 
 above its present state. " Hath a nation changed their gods 
 which are yet no gods ? " No, " for all people will walk every 
 one in the name of his God." 
 
 But we must pass on to quote from a few of his 
 letters, gleaned selections from hundreds which are 
 happily carefully preserved. In nothing, perhaps, 
 so much as his correspondence does the Bishop show 
 his clear, exact, and methodical style. He did naught 
 in a flurry. It was his habit to write a careful draft 
 of every letter from his pen, and these he preserved, 
 as well as copies of all he received, generally also in 
 his own handwriting. Up to the last few months of 
 his life his script was neat, and deserving of the en- 
 comium of copperplate, a treat to read. 
 
 As to a missionary soiling his hands by merely 
 secular work the Bishop gives his views in a letter 
 written from Lagos on 12 January, 1875 : 
 
 But some may question the propriety of missionaries em- 
 ploying a portion of their time to such secular occupation 
 whilst they are exclusively employed to preach the Gospel. 
 True, they are sent to preach the Gospel as their chief work 
 among the heathens — it may be in the market places, under 
 shady trees, or in a compound — and return home satisfied that 
 their work is done. But is that all among uncultivated savage 
 heathen ? 
 
 This is^applicable to countries where Christianity has been 
 previously established and people somewhat civilized, where 
 the time of preliminary work is past ; in that case other men
 
 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 309 
 
 laboured, and their successors have entered into their labours 
 solely to preach the Gospel. A real missionary life among the 
 heathen is widely different from this. A man of true mission 
 ary experience sees difficulty from this, as he has, like St. Paul, 
 often to labour with his own hands when it comes to the push, 
 for his own support and those who might be with him ; he will 
 become an example in all things to all men that he might gain 
 them for Christ ; he has to labour to construct his own abode, 
 and erect preaching places in an improved state, different 
 from native idea of building, although he is not a common 
 labourer ; he must attend the sick and wounded, although he 
 is not a physician ; when at the same time he will not neglect 
 his proper work to attend to reading and preaching of the 
 Word. A missionary must be a living example, known and 
 to be imitated by all men, especially in Africa, where all hard 
 labours are entailed on the females, and the males pass their 
 time in idleness and selfishness. We have not far to go to 
 prove this. 
 
 One of his dearest friends was the Rev. Henry 
 Venn, the secretary of his earher days, so deeply in- 
 terested in the ideal of a West African native Church, 
 and always an inspiration to Crowther. Here is an 
 extract from a letter written from Lagos on 8 February, 
 i860, to acknowledge some expressions of sympathy 
 recently sent from SaHsbury Square : 
 
 To H. Venn. 
 
 Lagos, 8 February, i860. 
 
 Your kind letter of December last was really as a soothing 
 cordial to my heart ; there is nothing that ministers so much 
 comfort to the drooping heart and desponding spirits like 
 sympathy which springs from a truly experienced Christian 
 heart ; the very fact that others share with us in all our 
 trouble, and bear a part with us in the slanders and aspersions 
 which unprincipled people are ready to cast upon us, is suffi- 
 cient to make one forget and pass them over little noticed, 
 and to pity those who try to do us evil instead of seeking to 
 resent. I have since the last few years been taught to know 
 that one of the most difficult things to learn to know in the
 
 310 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 
 
 world is man. I have not known before that man, who at 
 one time is confided in as the best of friends, and to whom 
 one can open his heart and mind without reserve, can upon 
 a different circumstance prove Uke a broken reed, which not 
 only gives way, but wounds and pierces. This is a painful 
 fact. Many years ago I would not have believed it could be 
 acted concerning myself, but I have experienced it, and but 
 through God's protection I should have severely suffered from 
 it. But the Lord reigneth. 
 
 It is not often that a Bishop is credited with a 
 business faculty, because few realize how much of 
 this department engrosses their time and energies, 
 but Crowther was always keenly alive to the material 
 well-being of his country. He kept his accounts with 
 scrupulous care and method, and as regards the com- 
 mercial development of the Niger, the following letter 
 shows that at the earliest stage of cotton export he 
 took the initiative. He is writing from Lagos in 
 March, i860 : 
 
 To H. Venn. 
 
 Lagos, 7 March, i860. 
 
 It will be a new piece of information to you to know that 
 I commenced it at my station at Igbein with a deaf and dumb 
 boy whose name is Thomas Craig, who seemed to be delighted 
 in the working of the saw gin, when every one ran away from 
 it as being too laborious to turn all day, and, being a strong 
 lad, it was he who chiefly worked the 500 lb. of clean cotton 
 which was first produced from Abeokuta in 185 1. This same 
 lad, now a young man, continues to work in connection with 
 the Industrial Institution to the present time. From this 
 small beginning, with a deaf and dumb boy, the work has 
 gained the interest of the chiefs and people of Abeokuta. . . . 
 They are consigning their cotton to merchants in England of 
 their own choice, being taught by the Industrial Institution 
 to develop the resources of their own country, for which a 
 market was shown them. Thus I consider the first object of 
 the Society has been fully answered.
 
 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 311 
 
 The following extract from a letter written on 
 
 3 February, 1868, will give an idea of the Bishop's 
 
 difficulties in travelling on the Niger before the Henry 
 
 Venn was sent out : 
 
 To H. Venn. 
 
 Lagos, 3 February, 1868. 
 
 As long as I shall have to depend upon an annual trip of 
 a trading ship or of a gunboat to visit the stations, so that 
 when either one or the other of the ships appear I am seen in 
 her as hitherto, it will take a very long time to dissuade the 
 natives from the old belief that I am interested in those ships. 
 To avoid this I tried to sever myself from trading ships as 
 much as possible, so as to be independent, quietly moving to 
 and fro, revisiting the stations in my own boat ; then I was 
 exposed to an outrageous attack from a covetous chief. Of 
 two evils I must choose the least for safety's sake, and must 
 either move in a trading steamer or in a gunboat whenever 
 an opportunity presents itself, whether I be called the pro- 
 prietor — though I do not own a pennyworth of her — or be 
 called a warrior from being associated with the ship — although 
 I may not fire a blank shot. One thing I am sure of, that if 
 the mercantile part of the Treaties of 1 84 1 had been properly 
 attended to as they were made with the native chiefs no such 
 trouble as the present would have been experienced. Though 
 the last year was closed with a chapter of most painful events 
 in connection with our mission, yet I look above to the Hand 
 which has ever overruled similar affairs which had happened 
 in times past to His honour and the advancement of His own 
 cause. May He give us more faith to trust Him. 
 
 A rather pensive epistle, penned evidently by the 
 
 bedside of his sick wife, lies before us. He is writing 
 
 in 1880, and the flight of time impresses him : 
 
 Lagos, 1880. 
 
 " Give an account of thy stewardship, for thou may est be 
 no longer steward." Whether we are willing or reluctant to 
 hear, the truth stands unchangeable ; every day's occurrences 
 which we are called to witness, by the removal of our com- 
 panions and friends to give their accounts, are solemn proofs
 
 312 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 
 
 of the fact of the shortness of time. This night our souls may 
 be required of us ; may we learn to redeem the remaining 
 days of our life. 
 
 During the last eighteen months my mind has been more 
 or less exercised in these ways at the bedside of my dear sick 
 wife. How watchful I had been for her speedy restoration to 
 health, that I might be able to go out in my annual visitation 
 to the Niger Mission ; but the favourable change was long 
 and tardy in coming. As the time for my preparation was 
 rapidly approaching, I could neither hasten the one nor retard 
 the other, till I was obliged to give in under the circumstances. 
 Mental struggles, to choose the preference between two great 
 responsibilities, are weighty ; it was a natural duty to attend 
 my sick wife, apparently in a dying state, which could not be 
 avoided ; and the cares of the mission, especially at a time 
 when it was disorganized in various ways which threatened 
 its prosperity, could not be easily quitted ; so I was obliged 
 to perform the first duty of charity at its proper place, for 
 " charity begins at home." But God, in whose hand our life 
 is, has not seemed to be ready to relieve the patient sufferer, 
 but rather to continue to use the application as a rod in the 
 Father's hand to correct and cure the soul. To Him be all the 
 praise. 
 
 " Better to wear out " is the expressive sentence of 
 a letter written from Onitsha on 12 January, 1885 : 
 
 We have invitations from several heathen and Moham- 
 medan authorities from various parts of the country to go 
 and establish among their people ; so that no less than three 
 of the remaining experienced working agents have been pro- 
 posed to be transferred from their limited but promising 
 stations to others of most extensive spheres as centres, if 
 practicable, in answer to their call. 
 
 It is better to wear out in running to and fro in conveying 
 the Gospel invitation to such people, rough handed, than to 
 spend one's days in weeping and lamenting over unwilHng 
 people to accept the message of the Gospel. 
 
 He has been giving a full description of the Obotsi 
 tribe and their heathenish customs, and relates an 
 interview which he has had with the King and chiefs.
 
 CORRESPONDENCE AND COUNSELS 313 
 
 who did nothing but obstruct and criticize. He is 
 writing in February, 1886 : 
 
 My reply was simply this. That in the Obotsis refusing 
 the Christian religion and God's messengers in their town they 
 refused God Himself and His message, sent not to them only, 
 but also to all nations ; hence they refuse His gracious offer 
 of salvation to them through Jesus Christ. That God Him- 
 self heard all that we were talking about. He claims all souls 
 as His, that none could refuse His messenger Death when it 
 is sent to summon any soul before Him at any time. 
 
 As regards their surprise that no case of gin was produced 
 to open the meeting with, I told them plainly that it is against 
 God's reUgion to give them poison to drink, therefore they 
 must never expect any from me. 
 
 One of his last letters, written on board a ship off 
 Bonny on 16 May, 1890, deals with the condition of 
 the churches, the inevitable misery, and, after pleading 
 for patience, as well as punishment, in dealing with 
 the weaker brethren, he says : 
 
 All which tends to show that the life of a Christian in this 
 world is a life of constant warfare, of watchfulness, lest Satan 
 take an advantage over us ; it is a life of earnest prayer to 
 the stronger man for support in time of trial and temptation, 
 that we may not be ignorant of Satan's devices, though he 
 may appear as an angel of light. 
 
 We never feel satisfied with the external sign of Christian 
 profession, when the converts brought to us their idols and 
 other objects of worship in the service of Satan, until we have 
 instructed them to apply to Christ to arm them with the whole 
 armour of God, to stand in the evil day by Christ, and pray 
 that He may not leave them to themselves to be drawn back 
 to the bondage of Satan, from which He has already set them 
 free ; notwithstanding what allurements may be offered to 
 draw them back or whatever may be the threat to their 
 mortal bodies, even to death, that they may stand steadfast 
 by faith that Christ is with them.
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 
 
 E[E the ebb and flow of the tide, the progress, 
 with intervals of retrogression, of the work 
 on the Niger went on. The simile, however, is not 
 quite fitting, for, little by little, ground was gained, 
 and, in spite of many drawbacks, the revivifying 
 waters of Christian teaching and influence were 
 making the desert of heathenism to blossom as the 
 rose. It was, of course, as all pioneer work must 
 be, a constant contest with difficulty, the traditions 
 of the fathers, the grip of priestly tyranny ; these 
 kept the armour of faith bright by valiant use. As 
 the Bishop puts it : 
 
 When a change is about to take place from an old con- 
 stitution to a new state of things there will ever be a conserva- 
 tive party to defend the retention of old time-honoured 
 systems in opposition to those who desire a change from the 
 old, unprofitable, and meaningless customs and superstitions 
 received from the tradition of their fathers. 
 
 Heathenism is in Africa the old system which invests the 
 old men and priests with power by which to rule, govern, and 
 keep the population in awe under their control. The priests 
 in particular, through whom the gods speak as their oracles, 
 whose word must not and cannot be denied, are, in fact, the 
 chief ruling power among many superstitious tribes ; through 
 them sacrifices, human and animal, are made to propitiate 
 
 314
 
 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 315 
 
 the gods ; through them oaths are administered to bind the 
 keeping of an agreement made between two parties in all 
 matters of importance, commercial or political. 
 
 When the new and foreign element is introduced alarm is 
 taken — the aggression must be opposed. Christianity is that 
 silent but powerful aggressor which threatens the downfall 
 of Paganism. 
 
 This fluctuation was most keenly felt at Bonny. 
 In spite of the cruel edicts against the Christians, 
 the services were attended with regularity, and the 
 persecuting party could not understand how it was 
 that whippings and irons, starvation, and even death 
 itself, to say nothing of the allurements of worldly 
 inducements, held out by the masters to their slaves, 
 could not stamp out the faith. Converts were being 
 baptized, and the Church roll increased, although 
 the greatest care was taken to admit only those 
 who maintained a sound practice as well as a good 
 profession. But still the unsettled political state of 
 the place was a perpetual hindrance. No one person 
 had sufficient power to rule, and the work of God had 
 nothing to gain from the anarchy of men. 
 
 The views of the few educated minds are at variance with 
 those of the old men, who are the fathers and the leading men 
 of the country. Unless both classes can be so tempered as to 
 meet half-way with each other for the good of those under 
 their controlling power and influence, the subjects are all the 
 sufferers. Where an acknowledged leading head is not re- 
 garded there can be no order. When priests and priestesses 
 of the gods take the lead in swaying the destiny of the nation, 
 some of them acting the part of Ahab, and their wives, the 
 priestesses, the part of Jezebel, stirring up their husbands 
 against Christianity, as threatening the abolition of their 
 idolatrous system, you may fairly conceive some idea of the 
 state of things in this mission.
 
 3i6 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 
 
 The converts were closely watched, and it was 
 felt even a risk to be seen too much in the company 
 of their own Bishop. One day the latter was going 
 to preach at St. Clement's Church when he overtook 
 a number of young men bent upon the same direction. 
 One of them was pointed out as formerly a soldier in 
 the Ashantee War, and the Bishop asked him to give 
 his compliments to his master on his return home. 
 The young fellow answered cautiously and in a low 
 voice, " No, I no fit." He was asked why he was no 
 fit to do this. He replied : " If I deliver your message, 
 I report myself, because my master will say, ' Where 
 did you see the Bishop ? Ah, you have been to 
 church ! ' therefore I must get punishment." 
 
 As might be expected, the Bishop was prompt 
 and courageous in interceding for the liberty and 
 safety of his flock, and on one occasion waited for 
 hours under an old tree until the chiefs could or would 
 assemble, so that he might lay before them the case 
 of these poor suffering converts. When they did 
 meet at last it was only to prevaricate and try to 
 make out that the converts were disobedient to their 
 masters, and therefore were worthy of punishment. 
 But they were not going to put off the Bishop with 
 these groundless and frivolous excuses. Fearless 
 of their frowns and threats, he faced this shuffling 
 Sanhedrim of paganism, and poured forth a stream 
 of forcible language, which made them wince, especially 
 as every bush in the vicinity was alive and awake with 
 eager listeners. Might was all against him, but God 
 was on his side.
 
 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 317 
 
 I struck at the root at once, and told them it was because 
 the converts refused to join in the worshij? of the gods, in 
 making sacrifices and eating offerings to the dead ; that I 
 could not be deceived in such a matter ; that we were com- 
 manded to teach all men — they, the chiefs, not excepted — 
 to abstain from sacrificing to dumb idols and eating the sacri- 
 fices to the dead, which provoked God to anger, confirming all 
 these prohibitions by appropriate passages from Scripture, 
 which were distinctly read by one or another of our party. 
 The chiefs heard on this occasion more Scriptures against idol 
 worship, with its unprofitableness and inability to do good 
 or to do evil, than they had ever expected. The weakness 
 of their superstitions was publicly exposed before them, which 
 they could not defend. 
 
 The case, put so strongly by the Bishop, was con- 
 firmed by a quite unexpected and impartial witness. 
 Captain Boler, a white merchant and a kindly- 
 disposed man, being appealed to by the King to say 
 whether this persecution of converts was true, stepped 
 forward, and delivered his soul to this effect. He told 
 them that this kind of thing had been tried and found 
 to fail centuries ago, that persecution was never 
 successful to check the progress of Christianity, instead 
 of which it had roused the attention of even the most 
 indifferent to inquire into its nature, and ultimately to 
 adopt it. Probably this excellent man said much 
 more to the point, but only this sentence has come 
 down to us ; still, such a testimony was of the greatest 
 value at such a time. 
 
 At the Brass station the Bishop found things 
 much more promising. Preaching to a crowded 
 church, and afterwards holding a confirmation service, 
 he was glad to notice in his audience, not only the 
 chief, Thomas Spiff, who had endured so much for
 
 3i8 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 
 
 Christ's sake, but just in front of liim, sitting sub- 
 missively, clothed literally and in his right mind, 
 the chief Oruwari, the leader of the late persecutions. 
 A great and wonderful change had taken place ; 
 he had put down his name for baptism, together 
 with those of his wife and other persons of his house- 
 hold. Some time before this he had given permission 
 to all his servants and retainers, about one hundred 
 in all, to go to church and worship God, had delivered 
 up his idols, and one of these discarded deities now 
 adorns a niche in the mission house at Salisbury Square. 
 The conversion of this man had been one of the trophies 
 of the mission, for he was a standing terror to every- 
 body. He was a trader in palm oil, and in his pros- 
 perity was the enemy of the faith ; but trouble came, 
 some old debts of his ancestors were demanded by 
 merciless creditors, and in his distress and isolation 
 he renounced his false friends, the priests and the 
 chiefs, and turning from his insufficient deities, fled 
 to the Saviour of the Christians, whom he had here- 
 tofore persecuted so relentlessly. He summed up 
 the position in a shrewd if worldly-wise remark : 
 " Those whom we persecuted and attempted to 
 reduce to poverty are growing fat, while we who 
 persecuted them in defence of the gods are growing 
 lean." 
 
 Anyway, with whatever mixed motives in the first 
 instance, this Saul was found among the prophets, 
 and the wondering whisper went round the church 
 that Sunday morning, " Is Chief Oruwari a church- 
 goer ? "
 
 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 319 
 
 When the Bishop reached Akassa he found some of 
 the leading old chiefs much shaken in their confidence 
 in their gods, because death had ruthlessly carried 
 off recently both chiefs and priests, in spite of in- 
 cantations. They were glad to welcome the Bishop 
 again, and held a palaver with him about the preaching, 
 and on other hands told him that the assurance given 
 by the gods through their priests did not seem worth 
 having. The Bishop showed them that these super- 
 stitions could not affect life and death : 
 
 God's Word declares (said he) that we must die sooner or 
 later, therefore we must prepare and flee to Jesus Christ to 
 fit us for it ; whereas the gods assured them, through the 
 priests, that if they offered prescribed sacrifices they need not 
 fear death. I asked what was the cause of the loud cries and 
 mournful lamentations and firing of guns which were echoing 
 in our ears as we sat talking. They replied : "Ah! Depagara, 
 the great medicine man, is dead ! True alabo [i.e. gentleman], 
 God be true, Juju be lie ; we are all thinking what to do with 
 Juju ! " I asked whether any of them were ready to be with 
 Depagara this evening, to accompany him into the world of 
 spirits. " No," was the reply. " Why did not Depagara tell 
 Death to wait till you were all ready to go together ? " They 
 replied : "He [Death] no will hear that." Then I impressed 
 upon them the necessity of going to church now. "Go to 
 God, each of you, as soon as possible ; wait not one for 
 another." 
 
 Once more he found that the inconsistency of the 
 white man trader was a stumbHng-block in the way 
 of the Gospel among the natives. Of course these 
 offending persons by their conduct at home could 
 bring no discredit on Christianity, because they make 
 no profession of it whatever, but the effect is so different 
 among the heathen. Every sailor or soldier, mer- 
 chant or traveller, by simple virtue of his colour and
 
 320 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 
 
 civilization, is at once accounted a Christian, and thus 
 that title, which ought to mean so much, is dragged 
 in the dust. The condition of the Church at Onitsha 
 was a forcible illustration of this, and the observations 
 of the Bishop thereon are well worth being repro- 
 duced. They will furnish another instance of his 
 love of discipline and refusal to spare the rod for the 
 sake of keeping up a numerical appearance of pros- 
 perity in the Church. 
 
 Civilized intercourse through trade has its advantages as 
 well as its disadvantages. Very much depends upon the 
 agents employed in the trading establishments ; if they are 
 right-minded persons — I do not go so far as to say real Chris- 
 tians ; if they take some interest in the arduous efforts of 
 missionaries to convert the heathen from gross idolatry and 
 teach them Christian civilization — our work is very much 
 facilitated ; but when the agents have no spark of sympathy 
 for missionary efforts, and care not whether the natives are 
 Christianized or not — are ready, moreover, to accuse mission- 
 aries as meddlers in trade matters because they are reproached 
 for trading on Sundays, while converts are prevented from 
 attending church or class on pain of forfeiting their place on 
 the factory — what can be expected but disorder and confusion 
 when this opposition proceeds from a white man ? Those who 
 were doubting about the truth of their own heathenish religion 
 since the introduction of Christianity are now hesitating to 
 make a change to the new religion, which is opposed by those 
 who ought to have supported it as true. 
 
 But this is not all the mischief that is done. Monogamy 
 has been represented to this people as contrary to Scripture ; 
 Jacob, David, and Solomon have been quoted as examples of 
 polygamists, and yet they were beloved, chosen people of 
 God. The result has been that the female palm oil traders 
 have prostituted their female slaves at the factories, and some 
 of our female converts followed the example of their heathen 
 companions by hiring out slaves also. Messrs. Perry and Buck, 
 the young ministers in charge, had to combat these difficulties 
 both with the female converts and the civilized nominal
 
 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 321 
 
 Christians. They suspended from membership all the female 
 converts known to prostitute their female slaves. 
 
 On my return to this place on 27 July the male converts 
 got a long letter written to me, stating the unstable state of 
 the Church through the ungodly example of civilized men 
 employed at the factories. 
 
 It became therefore necessary to distinguish between 
 nominal and ungodly Christians and those who are real Chris- 
 tians, whose walk was consistent with their profession. It 
 was no easy matter to make these distinctions, and to make 
 these men believe that characters could exist in Christian 
 countries who are not regarded as true Christians. It was not 
 a pleasant subject, but to protect the new Church just emerging 
 out of gross heathenism it was most necessary. On the follow- 
 ing Sunday, the first day of August, I made this the special 
 subject of my sermon, many of the educated natives employed 
 at the factories being present. I had to expose the ungodly 
 conduct of some as most inconsistent with the religion they 
 profess, by which they cast a stumbling-block before the 
 heathen, and so weaken the faith of the new converts to 
 Christianity. Truly there is a time and season for every pur- 
 pose ; this was a time to rebuke sharply, that they may be 
 sound in faith : " their mouths must be stopped, who subvert 
 whole houses, teaching things they ought not for filthy lucre's 
 sake." 
 
 On Monday following the elderly female converts asked 
 for a hearing ; it lasted about three hours, when many ques- 
 tions were put to me on subjects they wished to be corrected 
 in, among which was the prostitution of their slaves. Those 
 who acknowledged their offence, expressing deep sorrow and 
 promising amendment, were forgiven and readmitted ; while 
 others laid the whole blame upon the factory men who had 
 enticed away their slaves, over whom they had no control ; 
 on showing that they never received payments for such an 
 act, they were readmitted into class, for which they were 
 thankful. It is a time of ordeal for the faith of Christian 
 converts from heathenism. May the Lord bring them forth 
 from this furnace purified seven times ! A pleasing feature 
 in the conduct of these converts was the desire to be corrected 
 and guided aright ; they were overcome by the influence of 
 bad example of those from whom they had expected better 
 things, but finding they had been misled they were ready to 
 remend.
 
 322 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 
 
 In the year 1875 the Bishop was able to make good 
 progress with his work of translating the Scriptures, 
 and gave special attention to the preparation of 
 a grammar of the Ibo language. So far back as 
 1854 to 1857 ^6 had begun this difficult task, and had 
 sent the manuscripts to England by the hands of 
 his old friend and comrade Mr. Schon. The great 
 hindrance was the existence of so many dialects, 
 each being naturally assumed by its speaker to be 
 the only one of superiority, whereas in constructing 
 a written grammar of Ibo it appeared that the Isu- 
 ama was the only leading dialect of the nation. 
 Onitsha was not recognized as the place of an original 
 Ibo tribe ; the people had come from the Ado country 
 on the west side of the Niger, crossing to the east on 
 the borders of the Ibo country, and becoming 
 naturalized by intercourse and marriage. They re- 
 tained their old customs, and their word of salutation, 
 " Do ! " is the same as in Ado, Benin, and the Ondo. 
 Therefore the language of Onitsha was a corrupt 
 dialect of the Ibo proper, Isa. Another difficulty 
 the Bishop met with in this translational work was 
 that a translator from Sierra Leone might be born 
 of parents of different tribes ; the father might be 
 an Isu-ama and the mother an Elugu, so it was neces- 
 sary to find a teacher who knew the pure Isu-ama 
 dialect, and by his assistance construct the vocabulary. 
 In this the Bishop was not altogether successful. 
 He says : 
 
 Many of the original stock of the Ibos imported in Sierra 
 Leone years ago have died off ; others are so old and infirm
 
 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 323 
 
 that they cannot now leave the colony. Therefore teachers 
 were sought out from among the colony-born men, whose 
 parents were known to be good Ibo speakers. We commenced 
 our work with every hope of success when, to my pain and 
 grief, it was found out that the former habits of these men, 
 uncultivated for mission work, totally unfitted them for a 
 connection with the mission. Under these circumstances 
 I was obliged to send them back to Sierra Leone without delay. 
 
 Like the typical marine, the Bishop was a handy 
 man. He was as much at home in helping with 
 building operations as constructing a grammatical 
 language. We get a glimpse of him showing his 
 people how to make bricks. On his return to Kipo 
 Hill station from Bida he examined with the eye of 
 an expert the red and white sandstone clay which 
 formed the hill. He observed that after the heavy 
 rains the action of the sun hardened the surface 
 of the clay, but a little deeper down it still continued 
 soft and moist. So he got a carpenter to make him 
 a brick mould according to pattern seen in England, 
 but probably the same as used in Egyptian buildings, 
 and then after getting some men to work the clay 
 into the proper consistency, he showed them by his 
 own hands how to use the mould, and made twenty- 
 five specimen bricks. He then constructed artificial 
 arches of dried bricks for furnaces, and was soon 
 able to produce, with his assistants, five hundred 
 baked bricks, made as far as possible in the same way 
 as in the white man's country. Of course this was 
 before the introduction of machinery and other 
 progressive inventions as regards kilns, etc. 
 
 Of these home-made materials the new mission 
 house at Kipo Hill was built.
 
 324 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 
 
 On II June, 1877, the Bishop, being in England, 
 read an important paper upon the River Niger before 
 the Royal Geographical Society, which attracted 
 much interest. Apart altogether from the valuable 
 geographical facts which he brought before the au- 
 dience, the personaUty of the lecturer was an unusual 
 feature. It had never been the case that a black 
 man, once a slave and now a prelate, had come before 
 them as an explorer and a well-read and cultured 
 observer, and so distinguished. He went into minute 
 and valuable details of this great and then almost 
 unknown territory through which the River Niger 
 flowed, giving vivid sketches of the various tribes, 
 and the possibilities of trade developments in the 
 future. 
 
 References were made to the various languages in 
 vogue, and he ventured to give some sound practical 
 advice which would be helpful to travellers and 
 merchants entering the country. The origin of the 
 Foulah race was an interesting section of his paper. 
 
 At the close, the President, Sir Rutherford Alcock, 
 asked, as he had been much struck by the Bishop's 
 remarks on the progress of Mohammedanism among 
 the conquered nations, what was the real effect of 
 their religion upon the races ; did it purify and im- 
 prove their social position ? It seemed by its sim- 
 plicity to recommend itself to the native mind, but 
 it was a question how far it could be possible to con- 
 vert tribes into peaceable natives. 
 
 The Bishop, in reply, admitted that Mohamme- 
 danism had done some good among the natives; in
 
 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 325 
 
 so far as they dared do it with safety they had abolished 
 the worship of idols and offering of human sacrifices, 
 but if they had mingled charity with their teaching, 
 the natives would have more firmly adhered to them. 
 They were, however, very oppressive. They were 
 slave holders, and their object was not so much to 
 proselytize as to enslave, and the populations under 
 their sway disliked them exceedingly. When he first 
 established a Christian mission at the Confluence of 
 the Niger and the Binue the Mohammedans attended 
 this place of worship, but though they had been masters 
 of the country to his knowledge since 1841, no sooner 
 did the Christian mission go there, than the heathen 
 voluntarily erected a shed and invited him to preach 
 the Gospel to them. Both this shed and a second 
 one were accidentally burnt, but the natives rebuilt 
 them, and worship was conducted there. Because 
 the Yoruba country people dress in flowing toga, 
 travellers had taken them for Mohammedans. Two 
 years ago, in a village, it was found that out of a 
 population of five hundred there had not been a 
 single convert to Mohammedanism, the people re- 
 maining idolaters, though all taken for Mohammedans 
 because of their clothing. 
 
 In proposing a vote of thanks the Dean of Lichfield 
 " hoped that Bishop Crowther was the representative 
 of a new race of African bishops, who with enhghtened 
 knowledge and judgment might be pioneers of those 
 who should still further explore Africa." 
 
 Later on the Council of the Royal Geographical 
 Society presented a gold watch, value forty pounds.
 
 326 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 
 
 to the Bishop, in recognition of his valuable services 
 to geographical science. 
 
 The work on the Niger had already attracted 
 a great deal of interest in England among the sup- 
 porters of missionary enterprise, and it was felt 
 that if a vessel could be built specially for his use in 
 going to and fro, it would prove a great advantage. 
 Subscriptions came in freely from his many friends 
 at home, and as a result a trim little paddle steamer, 
 able to do ten knots an hour, was built and launched 
 on the Clyde, and suitably christened the Henry Venn, 
 in memory of that faithful friend of West Africa. 
 It was a temperance ship, with an efficient crew, and 
 to ensure its safety it sailed off from Falmouth, es- 
 corted by H.M.S. Forester, on 2 March, 1878. This 
 vessel became a valuable acquisition to the mission ; 
 but the most remarkable voyage was up the Binue, 
 nearly eight hundred miles, the result of which Mr. 
 Ashcroft, the newly-appointed secular agent, em- 
 bodied in an interesting journal. It will be remem- 
 bered that the second expedition of Dr. Baikie and 
 Bishop Crowther in the Pleiad in 1854 reached a point 
 not far from Hamaruwa, four hundred miles from the 
 Confluence, and six hundred miles from the sea. 
 Three years before that time Dr. Barth, in returning 
 from his explorations in the Soudan, crossed near the 
 same place, Ayola, seventy miles further up the Binue, 
 but had not stayed to make any explorations either 
 up or do\Mi the river. The Henry Venn, however, 
 steamed one hundred and forty miles beyond this 
 point, and discovered that further up the tributary
 
 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 327 
 
 the Mayo Kebi flows in, and from this the Binue 
 gains its strong volume of water, above that being 
 only a small stream. The valuable observations of 
 this expedition were set forth in a paper contributed 
 to the Royal Geographical Society, and read at one 
 of their meetings on 22 March, 1879, by Mr. Hutchin- 
 son, the lay secretary of the Church Missionary 
 Society. The Bishop was unfortunately unable to 
 accompany this expedition, in consequence of the 
 illness of Mrs. Crowther. His disappointment is 
 expressed in one of his letters quoted on another page. 
 This being the case, it is not within the province 
 of this work to do more than record a few words from 
 the journal of Mr. Ashcroft, describing his visit to 
 the chief at the furthest point reached by the Henry 
 Venn, and how he further pushed up the stream in 
 an open boat to explore to the utmost this fascinating 
 country before turning back. The water was falhng 
 rapidly, and it was clear that the river every day was 
 growing more dangerous for navigation. They an- 
 chored in midstream, and sent a boat towards a 
 crowd of naked natives assembled on the shore on 
 the right bank of the river. 
 
 The people were not able to get to the edge of the main 
 stream on account of the grass being overflowed about three 
 feet ; but they called for us to try higher up, and soon we 
 found an opening in the thick grass and pulled the boat, the 
 people coming up to their middle in water to help us and 
 going before to show us the best way to get to the dry ground. 
 We got the boat as far as we could, and then it had to be 
 carried thirty or forty yards. 
 
 Mr. Kirk, Flegel, and myself then went to visit Garawara. 
 The chief's name was Sufen. He informed me that the rocks
 
 328 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 
 
 near which we had anchored would soon be dry, for the water 
 was going down, and he did not think it would rise again this 
 year ; also that when the river began to fall it fell very 
 rapidly, and that we should see all the rocks in a few days. 
 When asked, " How long are you able to use canoes ? " he 
 said, " Two or three moons only every year." The rest of 
 the time they go by land, and can cross the river without 
 canoes ; but there were deep pools with plenty of alligators, 
 etc. I asked the name of the mountain to which I had given 
 the name of Burdett-Coutts, and was told it was " Ostuting- 
 gading." I asked how far the Kebi was, and they said by 
 canoe three and a half days, by land two and a half days. 
 The town of Dengi was at the Confluence of the Binue and 
 Kebi. " What is the Binue like past the Kebi ? " " It is 
 only a small river." " How far is it until you get to where 
 you say the Binue comes over mountains in the Gumderi 
 country ? " " By land, fast walking, eight days ; by canoe 
 thirteen days." " Do you know the names of any towns on 
 the way ? " " Yes, a few. Reborn, Dull, Drugi, and Golumbi." 
 But our informant had not been beyond Golumbi, three days 
 distant from here. They said that where the Binue rises the 
 name of the people is the Bum people. No one that we came 
 across knew anything of the Belle or Shary or of any great 
 river or lake hereabouts. 
 
 In the afternoon we took the Winifred and steamed about 
 eight miles up the river to the town of Reborn, on the right 
 bank, a beautiful situation and about a mile from the Burdett 
 range, magnificent mountains, and at the distance they looked 
 like a large palace, with the centre part of the building higher 
 than the rest. The finest scene of the whole river was just 
 about here. I was exceedingly sorry to have to turn back, 
 the country being so beautiful ; and the people just received 
 us like old friends, not the least alarmed when we approached 
 with the steamer ; they were also Bornu people, speaking 
 Fula. 
 
 We had only time to climb a hill and look at the moun- 
 tains in the> distance before it was time to turn back. I asked 
 if they would like white men to come and live with them at 
 this and other towns, and the people and her chiefs would 
 like it much, for white men would make their country good. 
 That appears to be the belief of all of them whenever you ask. 
 It was getting dusk as we very reluctantly got into the launch 
 to run back to the Henry Venn, distant about eight or nine
 
 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 329 
 
 miles. We bid the people good-bye and they wished us God 
 speed, and hoped we should soon come again and visit them 
 and be able to stay. 
 
 Although, as we have said, the Bishop had been 
 debarred from seeing with his own eyes these new 
 regions, and to make acquaintance with a people 
 so interesting and accessible, he was keenly in- 
 terested in this voyage of the Henry Venn. To him 
 this seemed as another open door, and he yearned 
 for the time when he would be able to carry the good 
 tidings of Christianity up there. 
 
 In the meanwhile the progress of commerce on 
 the Niger was unfortunately from time to time in- 
 terrupted by the blind opposition and treachery of 
 the natives. In 1878 two trading steamers at a 
 narrow bend of the river found a stout hawser stretched 
 across to bar their further progress homewards down 
 the stream, and while thus arrested were fired upon 
 from the banks, and one man killed on board. The 
 motive for this outrage appears to have been pure 
 jealousy of the palm oil trade on the river, and a 
 determination to divert it by force into another 
 channel for the advantage of other tribes. As a 
 consequence the merchants appealed to Commodore 
 Hewitt, who was blockading Dahomey, and two gun- 
 boats ascended the Nun branch of the Niger and 
 destroyed the offending village. For a time peace 
 was restored, and both traders and missionaries 
 were undisturbed ; but in October, 1879, a more 
 serious outbreak occurred. Outrages had become 
 insufferable upon British subjects in the pursuit of
 
 330 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 
 
 commerce, and as this was chiefly at Onitsha, the 
 British Consul on board H.M.S. Pioneer anchored 
 off the town, and sent for the chiefs to come and give 
 guarantees that better order should be kept in future. 
 At first they refused to show themselves, but when 
 two of the mission agents, accompanied by some of 
 the leading traders, went to persuade them, they came 
 on board, and the Consul demanded that the ring- 
 leaders of the recent riots and outrages be given up. 
 The chiefs said they must refer to their King, and the 
 Consul gave them till noon the next day. In the 
 meantime the robbers were actually raiding some 
 houses, and a mob gathered and plundered the mission 
 premises. To fill up the cup of their insolence to 
 the brim, during the night the ships were fired on, 
 and one of the captains wounded. Early in the 
 morning the huts of the ringleaders were destroyed, 
 and at the expiration of the time allowed, the vessel 
 opened fire on the town, which was burnt and utterly 
 destroyed. The lesson to these unscrupulous heathen 
 was doubtless a salutary one, but it was a sad blow 
 to the Christian work of this the first station founded 
 by the Bishop. On the previous Sunday more than 
 two hundred and sixty persons were present at church, 
 and the Bible classes were largely attended. Now 
 the place was a deserted and smoking ruin ! 
 
 " Thus end," writes the Rev. S. Perry, the pastor, 
 " our hopes and plans for the improvement of Onitsha." 
 We now return to the Delta, and a notable person, 
 Ockiya, the King of Brass, deserves a mention here. 
 He appears to have been a man of intelligence, and
 
 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 331 
 
 was much impressed by what he saw of the industrial 
 work which the Bishop had inaugurated in the mission 
 compound. He was shown the sawyers at work, 
 which was a surprise to him, and when he had visited 
 the gardens where the fruits were growing so well 
 and the little yams, recently planted, were giving 
 such promise by their special cultivation, he naturally 
 expressed a desire to see such yams growing in his 
 own place. The Bishop, who displayed these things 
 to the King, took the opportunity of pointing out the 
 folly of juju worship, and he appeared thoughtful. 
 About this time his daughter, who was a scholar in 
 the Christian school, died suddenly, and Ockiya, 
 instead of consulting his god for the reason of this 
 sorrow, bore it very patiently, repeating what he 
 had been taught, " God gave and God takes away." 
 The Bishop later on reported that the King had broken 
 through the laws of the gods which forbade the in- 
 habitants of the Brass River to grow yams on their 
 own soil, and to cut the stems of certain creepers or 
 climbers, or large trees, on pain of punishment of 
 paying a heavy fine of some casks of palm oil for the 
 offence given to the gods. Ockiya, however, seems 
 to have plucked up heart and dared these deities, 
 for he ordered men to clear the jungles, to cut down 
 the trailing creepers, and in place of these to plant 
 yams. This was followed by a bolder step, when he 
 sent three of his largest idols to the missionary by 
 the hand of his daughter, and afterwards, in the face 
 of his people, he carried his charms and other objects 
 of his confidence, and threw them into the river.
 
 332 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 
 
 On Advent Sunday, 1879, he was duly baptized, 
 receiving the new Christian name of Josiah Constantine, 
 having previously handed to the Bishop his remaining 
 idols, cut down his sacred groves, and, last not least, 
 dismissed all his wives save one. Two weeks after 
 this the King died. It is reported that on his death- 
 bed the juju priests tried hard to make him recant, 
 but without success, being kept steadfast in the faith 
 through the influence of the Christian woman of his 
 household, who attended him in his last moments. 
 He died " calling on Christ." 
 
 Many instances might be given of the power of 
 the juju superstition. A new station had been 
 opened by the Bishop at Okrika, and here a notorious 
 chief, Atorodibo, and his wife were converted to 
 the Christian faith. At a certain time of the year the 
 women of the Okoni and the Okrika people visit a 
 market for trade, midway between the two towns, 
 and before crossing the stream the Okrika women 
 offered sacrifices to gods for a favourable market, 
 and every woman on crossing was chalked on the 
 forehead by the juju priest. When it came to the 
 turn of the wife of Atorodibo she refused to offer 
 sacrifices or suffer her face to be daubed with chalk, 
 and that night, in consequence of some offence given 
 by the Okrika people, the Okoni men lay in ambush, 
 and killed nearly all the women, except a few reserved 
 for captivity. Amongst the latter was Atorodibo's 
 wife. She implored her captor, " in the name of the 
 God of heaven," not to injure her. She was told 
 it was the Okoni juju, which was stronger than that
 
 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 333 
 
 of Okrika, which had delivered her into their hands. 
 But the woman repHed : " I do not beUeve in any 
 juju ; myself and my husband worship God, the God 
 of heaven, and for that God's sake release me, and let 
 me return home." This answer mystified the man, 
 and he asked her to tell him about this " God of 
 heaven," and what was His worship. The woman 
 then, like her predecessor at Jacob's well, told him 
 what wonderful things the Lord had done for her, 
 and how her husband, too, had accepted Christ and 
 worshipped idols no more. 
 
 The story strangely charmed the man, and dropping 
 his voice to a whisper, he said : " Be quiet, do not 
 let any one know that you are with me. At dead 
 of night I shall take you over to Okrika, though 
 we have sworn that not a soul shall return." 
 
 True to his promise, he woke up the distressed 
 woman at midnight, led her through the bush to the 
 riverside, and pulled her across in a small canoe to 
 Okrika town. Of course all the place was astir, 
 anxious for the return of the wives, sisters, and daugh- 
 ters who would come back no more. Preparations 
 were at once set on foot to attack Okoni at daylight. 
 Through the agitated town Atorodibo's wife quietly 
 passed and knocked at the door of her house. Her 
 appearance was Uke one from the dead. She told 
 all the sad story, and also of the plans which she had 
 overheard by the way in which the Okoni warriors 
 were going to repel any attack. This guided her own 
 people in their expedition, so that they were successful 
 in rescuing the surviving Okrika women out of the
 
 334 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 
 
 hands of the enemy. This incident made a great 
 impression at Okrika, for the people felt that her 
 refusal to sacrifice or have her face chalked had saved 
 her life and that of so many of her people, and that 
 the Christian's God could preserve where the juju 
 failed. Among a people prone to signs and wonders 
 this event was wonderful and effective. 
 
 It is encouraging to note that some of those who 
 had been the leaders of persecution in these Delta 
 stations died in the faith, acknowledging their wrong- 
 doing. One of these, a chief who had been a cruel 
 opponent of the work, openly confessed the great 
 change which had come over him, and described 
 himself as " the Saul who became Paul, and took off 
 his hat for Christ, whom he had fought and hoped to 
 conquer, but who had conquered him." Indeed, 
 he became valiant in defence of the truth he had once 
 persecuted, and his dying message was, " Tell the 
 minister when he comes that I die in Christ." 
 
 Some of these chiefs were ready to help in the 
 building of churches, and even sent to England for 
 their gifts. This was the case with Chief Squiss, 
 who wished to show his friendliness in helping to 
 furnish the newly-reopened Church of St. Stephen's 
 in 1880, and obtained from London an elegant drawing- 
 room clock, for which he paid nine pounds, and this 
 rather unusual timepiece for such a purpose certainly 
 gave a finish to the interior appearance of the sacred 
 building. This was the offering of a man who had 
 not accepted Christianity. The Bishop makes a 
 point of drawing attention, in a letter from Bonny
 
 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 335 
 
 at this time, to the salutary effect of Christian in- 
 fluence even among people, like this chief, who have 
 not become believers in its teaching : 
 
 Contrary to custom, when canoes were got ready to go out 
 on a war expedition, and sacrifices were made and the blood 
 of the animal victims were spilt on the war canoes to pro- 
 pitiate the god of war, the converts, as one man, refused to 
 perform juju or to eat of the sacrifices, on the ground that 
 it is idolatrous, superstitious, and contrary to the law of God 
 and the doctrines of the Christian religion which they had 
 performed. Some of the head chiefs sided with them ; but 
 one of the head chiefs, an opponent to Christianity, ordered 
 a priest to offer an animal sacrifice to his own canoe, which 
 the priest, though not yet professing Christianity, refused to 
 do on the conviction of the folly of these practices. The head 
 chief, being enraged, ordered one of his slaves to take a whip 
 and chastise the priest to compel him to do his duty, but the 
 servant declined doing so. He ordered another to execute his 
 order on the priest, but he also declined. On the third re- 
 fusing, he got up in a great rage, took up the whip himself, 
 and spent the whole of his strength on the delinquent priest, 
 when he was led away by some standers by who were witness- 
 ing the proceedings of the day. Thinking that the priest has 
 received a salutary lesson from him, and that he would now 
 be intimidated to refuse his order, he sent to call him at another 
 time to go over and perform the required sacrifices, but the 
 reply from the priest was to this effect, that had he intended 
 to offer the sacrifice he would not have suffered himself to be 
 so severely beaten and shamefully treated in public ; but it 
 was too late, he would do no more sacrifices to the gods. 
 Soon after this he enlisted himself as a candidate for baptism. 
 
 The reaction in favour of Christianity was largely 
 due to the dying warnings of a notorious idolatrous 
 chief known as Captain Hart, who had persecuted 
 the converts, and had made a great show of his ad- 
 herence to the tradition of his gods. It was through 
 this man's wicked treatment of the poor converts 
 that their sufferings were beyond expression, and
 
 336 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 
 
 often meant death. They, however, stood firm. 
 Pardon, gifts, and promotion even were offered if 
 they would only give up Christ, and as an alternative 
 they were threatened with a fearful increase of suffer- 
 ing should they decline. But these poor black men, 
 whose names are unknown save to the recording 
 angel, were magnificent in their martyrdom. Here 
 is the answer sent by one of them to such an offer : 
 " Tell the master I thank him for his kindness. He 
 himself knows that I never refused to perform duties 
 required of me at home. But as regards turning 
 back to heathen worship, that is out of my power, 
 for Jesus has taken charge of my heart, and padlocked 
 it. The key is with Him. So you see it is impossible 
 for me to open it without Him." 
 
 Another, in the midst of excessive agony, was not 
 prepared to purchase release by apostasy. They 
 threatened him with keener pains and heavier bur- 
 dens. He answered : " I have made up my mind, 
 God helping me, to be in chains, should it so please 
 the Lord, even till the coming of the judgment day." 
 No wonder that the author of such wrongs should 
 strive to make some atonement, and to show how he 
 himself had done with the worship of the gods. On 
 his deathbed he told his people that he had found out 
 that all these gods were lies, and warned them against 
 putting any trust in such vanities. His orders that 
 after his death every image and juju found in any 
 house was to be destroyed were carried out to the 
 letter. 
 
 Two young men converts came to the mission house
 
 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 337 
 
 one day and asked the Bishop to sell them some books. 
 He asked them where they had come from, and they 
 answered, "The Land of Israel." What meant that 
 strange reply ? They told him : " You do not know, 
 sir, what changes are taking place at Bonny ; that 
 yonder village Ayambo is now named the Land of 
 Israel, because no idol is to be found in it. Though 
 you may walk through the village, you will not find 
 a single idol in it as an object of worship." 
 
 This place might also have been styled a City of 
 Refuge, for it was a place of security to which converts 
 fled when persecuted by their enemies. In a later 
 letter dated June, 1881, the Bishop speaks of a service 
 held at Nembe, on the Brass River, when four old 
 women, one too aged and infirm to totter to the altar 
 rails, were duly confirmed in the presence of four 
 hundred and eighty people. These old women had 
 been a great stumbling-block in the way of Christianity ; 
 one was formerly a devoted priestess of the gods, 
 and their humble and sincere consecration of them- 
 selves to Christ that day had a marked effect upon 
 the people. It must be borne in mind that the old 
 women, with their great influence and authority, are 
 often a serious drawback to mission work in West Africa. 
 
 Passing to the work on the Upper Niger we have 
 a description of the Onitsha native given in one of 
 the reports of Archdeacon Johnson, which shows 
 what a genuine savage he is. This is the material 
 upon which the missionary has to work, and nothing 
 short of Divine grace could transform such a creature 
 into a convert worthy of the Christian name :
 
 338 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 
 
 As he scruples not to do injury to his neighbour, so he is 
 ever afraid of being injured himself ; hence there is a general 
 feeling of distrust. They are rarely seen about but with knives 
 and guns — a sure proof of a prevailing sense of insecurity. 
 The Onitsha increases his natural ferocity by making ghastly 
 incisions about his body and fantastic marks on his face. 
 He chalks his eyebrows for the same reason, and looks fierce 
 indeed. Like the great Ibo tribe generally, he is quick to be 
 in a passion, and while in that state can commit the most 
 brutal crimes without the slightest hesitation ; nor does he 
 afterwards feel the smallest compunction in reflecting upon 
 the sad effect of his passion. Nay, in certain cases he prides 
 himself on having done these things and boasts of his conduct 
 to others. The time has not much gone by, if at all, when a 
 certain Onitsha in quarrelling with his companion would say 
 to him in a tone of superiority : " What do you mean to tell 
 me ? I have killed about six men in my time. How many 
 have you killed ? " It is true ; the feathers in his cap prove 
 that the boast is not an idle one. 
 
 Still, while the Bishop was visiting the station, 
 many incidents were told him of conversions which 
 had occurred in the revival following the time of 
 persecution. One of these stories is worthy of a brief 
 record : 
 
 A woman named Ekubie gave up idol worship and brought 
 her gods to the catechist. She was converted by means of a 
 picture. Once, on entering the Mission House, she saw a 
 picture on the wall. It was one of the cheap German sketches, 
 a representation of Jesus sitting before a table in the attitude 
 of blessing a loaf of bread which He held in His hand, and a 
 cup before Him. The catechist patiently explained who Jesus 
 Christ was : " The Saviour of men, who came into this world 
 and died to take away sin." Gradually the woman became 
 interested, and at length she asked : " Did He die for me 
 too ? " " Yes," was the immediate reply ; " and if you 
 believe in Him He will save you." So the conversation went 
 on until at last the poor heathen woman resolved to give up 
 heathenism and embrace Christianity. She became a regular 
 attendant at church and a consistent believer.
 
 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 339 
 
 There is something very admirable in the courage 
 and constancy of these converts of Onitsha, quite 
 worthy to be mentioned by the side of the Delta 
 martyrs. After the bombardment and the transfer 
 of the mission to Asaba on the other side, many still 
 refused to go, and remained at great peril to their 
 lives. The church and mission premises had been 
 plundered and burnt, windows and doors carried off 
 as loot, and when the shells came from the gunboats, 
 the place became a pandemonium. But these few 
 faithful Christians did not desert their faith in its 
 peril, nor turn their backs upon their Saviour because 
 of the reign of terror and violence. In spite of all 
 this they assembled for prayer every Lord's Day, 
 when a little black schoolboy read the Liturgy, and 
 made what exposition he could of the Scriptures in 
 place of a sermon ! The church was a wreck and 
 ready to tumble down, but they clung to it as the 
 house of God, and had good times sitting on rubbish 
 heaps in place of the seats already stolen away. Of 
 course some fell away, and even relapsed into poly- 
 gamy, as a kind of halfway house on the backward 
 journey ; but the majority stood firm, according to 
 the light they possessed, and held the fort of faith. 
 
 The Bishop, on his visitation, found many oppor- 
 tunities for the exercise of discipline, and tells us 
 that at Lokoja especially this was the case. There 
 was a lack of true spirituality ; many of the immigrants 
 from Sierra Leone bringing a certain profession of 
 Christianity with them, without much power, soon 
 fell into a deplorably listless and formal way of
 
 340 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 
 
 worship. Some seemed to have no strength to resist 
 the deep black current of immorahty which flowed 
 through the place. It is better to draw a veil over 
 a condition of things which has been sufficiently 
 referred to, the result, it must be confessed, to a large 
 extent, of the introduction of a civilization minus 
 Christianity. 
 
 But the African mind is constitutionally optimistic. 
 As an example of the hopefulness of the native pastors 
 when preaching to their flocks about the future re- 
 demption of Africa, here is a brief quotation from 
 one of them, the Rev. D. G. Williams, of Trinity 
 Church, Sierra Leone. He has taken for his text 
 " Ethiopia shall stretch forth her hands to God," 
 and has spoken of Philip and the eunuch. With 
 intense earnestness he bewails the evils which beset 
 his native land, its degradation and darkness : 
 
 Brethren, I am aware of these evils. I am not ignorant of 
 the fact that the enemies of Divine revelation make use of 
 them to justify their unwarranted assumption that we were 
 doomed to perpetual ignorance and blindness. And yet, 
 taking my stand by the Scriptures of the inspired Word, and 
 resting on the promises of God, which are as immovable as 
 the everlasting hills, I maintain, without fear of opposition, 
 that this land of pagan darkness shall yet be won for Christ. 
 
 That these untutored heathen tribes, 
 
 A dark, bewildered race, 
 Shall sit down at Immanuel's feet, 
 
 And have and feel His Grace. 
 
 For the hope of Africa's future regeneration rests on the 
 living God. Hence exclaimed the sainted Latimer Neville, 
 himself a pioneer missionary, to the Pongas heathen, not- 
 withstanding the difficulties which stared him full in the face : 
 " I am as certain of the conversion of Africa to God as I am 
 of the rising of the sun to-morrow morning." 
 
 With similar confidence the Hon. William Grant declared
 
 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 341 
 
 of the negro : "I believe in his restoration from barbarism 
 and heathenism' to Christianity and civiUzation." 
 
 That our Lord during His infancy should have found 
 shelter in Egypt from the cruel edict of a relentless king 
 might be favourably interpreted with regard to the land of 
 Ham. Simon the Cyrenean, who aided the Saviour in bearing 
 His cross, and Simeon that was called Niger, one of the 
 dignitaries of the early Church in Antioch (being Africans), 
 might also be viewed as representatives of innumerable per- 
 sons, sons of Africa, who may yet bear the cross and despise 
 the shame for Jesus' sake. 
 
 He then speaks of the inestimable value of Holy 
 Scripture, and how God has at sundry times and in 
 divers places spoken to the world by prophet and 
 seer : 
 
 Equally important is the voice of the living missionary in 
 the present day. From that voice sounds out the Word of 
 the Lord to distant lands ; to that voice the heathen listens 
 to catch the sweet message of a Saviour's love ; beneath that 
 voice multitudes sit and find refreshment to their souls. 
 Hence it is that missionary societies attach so much impor- 
 tance to the living agents they send abroad. It is because they 
 feel that prayer alone would not suffice. Even the Bible and 
 prayer, valuable and indispensable as they are, will not do. 
 There must be the united agency of prayer, the Bible, and 
 the preacher, like a threefold cord not easily broken. Well 
 may we seek out properly qualified men for the work of the 
 Lord in every land — teachers who are not only bathed in a 
 stream of classic lore and are masters of the abstract sciences, 
 but are also bathed in the fountain that flows from beneath 
 the throne of God, and are masters of the science of salvation 
 and the art of holy living, and adorned with the beauty of 
 holiness. We indulge in no Utopian dream, we entertain no 
 wild and visionary idea when we aver that Africa's future 
 may yet be more glorious than the past if God will. The 
 attention of the civilized world that is now being directed to 
 it, the openings in the East, and the invitation in the centre 
 may all be regarded as a voice from heaven, saying : " Arise, 
 shine, for thy light is come." The time to save Africa ; yea, 
 the time is come !
 
 342 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 
 
 On one occasion the Bishop, accompanied by his 
 son, the present Archdeacon, visited a powerful chief 
 named Alumi, who Hved in a town seven miles up 
 the river from Benin. The object of the journey was 
 to secure some premises for a mission station, which 
 buildings had been hitherto used for trading purposes. 
 They had to paddle the native canoe through the 
 narrow and dangerous creek in a heavy storm of rain 
 and flashes of lightning, the thunder crashing above 
 and echoing in the dark forest close by. Eventually, 
 however, they reached the great man's hut, and as he 
 boasted the luxury of a table they were entertained 
 with a supper of " palm oil chop," and after this repast 
 they squatted on the ground and commenced the 
 palaver. The quick eye of the Bishop noticed how 
 fitful the light was, now dull almost to darkness, 
 then blazing up quite brightly. This he discovered 
 was because the lamp was of a most primitive char- 
 acter, simply broken bits of calabashes used for 
 years in carrying oil, and therefore well saturated 
 therewith, cut into small pieces, and stuck on an 
 arrangement resembling a saucepan lid. Several 
 naked boys were told off to keep this illumination in 
 good order, dipping the bits in fresh oil to awaken the 
 light when it drooped. Sometimes these lads would 
 forget their duty, and an elder chief would shout 
 sharply, " Alupa," meaning lamp, with sundry dashes 
 at the forgetful youngsters to administer chastisement. 
 
 After resting awhile and talking about everything 
 else, according to African custom, the Bishop broached 
 the subject of the premises, and then the chief called
 
 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 343 
 
 his visitors into an inner court, with one of his sons, 
 who talked EngHsh pretty well. The Bishop re- 
 minded his host of certain promises he had made for 
 a mission and a school where the children might be 
 taught the white man's book. At the suggestion of 
 books the chief showed a spirit of reluctance, saying : 
 " Book palaver will not do for Sekeri people " (this is 
 the proper name of the people inhabiting Benin River ; 
 Benin proper is some days' journey inland) ; " that they 
 will not wish to get their hands dirty, will get lazy, 
 and will not work after knowing book." The other 
 younger son, sitting close by, added that their custom 
 of kneeling before a father or elder will be done away 
 with when book is taught, and shaking of hands will 
 be substituted, while such an impertinent act from 
 a younger to an elder is criminal in Sekeri, and is 
 accompanied by death. 
 
 The Bishop hstened patiently to this opposition 
 to education, and then quietly took up their ob- 
 jections one by one. He wanted to know why the 
 Sekeri people are supposed to be different from other 
 folks in the world, as, for instance, Lagos, Niger, 
 Brass, New Calabar, and Bonny people ; for if the 
 teaching of God's Word and the knowledge of book 
 were good things for them, why not the same for 
 those at Benin River ? Trade, he observed, seemed 
 in their opinion to be good for them, as for other 
 nations and tribes. Then as to the charge of their 
 being made lazy, the opposite is proved to be true ; 
 book knowledge makes men more active — as, for 
 instance, the Bishop asked Chief Alumi who are those
 
 344 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 
 
 who manufacture cloths, silks, which are brought 
 up these rivers for sale ? Are they not made by the 
 book people ? Who are those who plant wheat and 
 corn for bread, make biscuits, kill bullocks which are 
 salted, and the various eatables brought here and to 
 other rivers in great quantities, and sold to them ? 
 Who are the workers of all these but people of book 
 knowledge, and are these things signs of a lazy 
 people ? Further, he went on to say that some of the 
 richest people in England are farmers who had been 
 toiling with sleeves rolled up and with dirty hands in 
 working and turning up the ground. Then, by a 
 happy thought, the Bishop suggested the English 
 engineers in steamers, and asked the chief which 
 Sekeri man is more dirty and as hard a workman as 
 an engineer from the engine-room, with black, oily 
 hands, and oftentimes face : and can an ignorant man 
 " make ship move " ? 
 
 Then turning to the younger son about shaking 
 hands, the Bishop told him that the Bible taught 
 the young obedience to elders, more than Sekeri 
 people ever knew, and that the Bible will not interfere 
 with such customs as those, that they will find in 
 course of time that those who know what is in the 
 Bible are sincere in their obedience inwardly, and 
 not outwardly through fearing death. 
 
 The chief could not gainsay this reasoning, but found 
 another excuse, explaining that " he did not exactly 
 mean to say that Sekeri people were incapable of 
 learning, but that those who had been sent to know 
 book die away, and are never seen again." To
 
 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 345 
 
 support this extraordinary statement he gave in- 
 stances of boys going to Liverpool and Portugal who 
 never came back, so, said he, " if a mission be es- 
 tablished to teach all Sekeri people, their time on 
 earth will be Hmited, especially old men such as he is ; 
 that he had better wait after this generation of old 
 men has passed, then the young people can do what 
 they like." 
 
 In spite of all the Bishop could say, it was evident 
 that a superstitious fear of death was at the bottom 
 of the chief's objection. He stood firm, in spite of 
 the fact that the visitors stayed far into the night, 
 and afterwards in the darkness rowed back down the 
 creek and river unsuccessful. " With a parting 
 ' good night,' which ought rightly to be ' good morn- 
 ing,' we turned into bed, but not before asking the 
 God of missions to open in His good time the dark 
 eyes of the heathen, to bless and strengthen our weak 
 effort of that night, to the extension and glory of the 
 Redeemer's name." 
 
 The Bishop, in writing to his " brethren and fellow- 
 labourers " from the mission house. Bonny, on 26 
 February, 1883, after speaking of the good way the 
 Lord had brought him hitherto, tells what has been 
 specially his prayer and heart's desire in the work on 
 the Niger : 
 
 In addition to the above-mentioned advantages, I have been 
 blessed with unbroken health ; that I have not been laid aside 
 any day, week, month, or year from pursuing my duty, which 
 is a rare blessing, with many other privileges granted to me, 
 for which I cannot feel that I have exerted myself enough to 
 make adequate return by making myself more useful in God's
 
 346 STORM CLOUDS AND SUNBEAMS 
 
 service for the evangelization of my ignorant countrymen. 
 Whatever success God has been pleased to grant to our feeble 
 and imperfect efforts, you, my fellow-labourers in the mission, 
 are eye-witnesses. To God be all the honour and praise. He 
 is fulfilling His own promise : " The Gentiles shall come to 
 the light, and kings to the brightness of Thy rising." 
 
 During my missionary labours in the Niger Mission I have 
 often ventured to make two timid requests in prayer to the 
 God of missions, which I sometimes fear may savour of selfish- 
 ness. One is like to that of Caleb, made to Joshua for the 
 mountainous countries of Palestine, but with spiritual applica- 
 tion, when he said : " Thou knowest the thing that the Lord 
 said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in 
 Kadesh-barnea. Forty years old was I when Moses the ser- 
 vant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to espy out 
 the land ; and I brought him word again as it was in mine 
 heart. . . . And Moses sware on that day, saying. Surely the 
 land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, 
 and thy children's for ever, because thou hast wholly followed 
 the Lord my God. , . ." (Joshua xiv. 6-13). I have quoted 
 the passage at length to call your attention to it for reference. 
 
 The mountain prayed for to be given is the countries of 
 the Niger territory, visited forty years ago, in 1841. The 
 cities great and fenced are the strongholds of Mohammedanism 
 and heathenism, fenced with deluding religions and strong 
 shackles of slave system. If so be, the Lord will be with us ; 
 then we shall be able to possess the land for our Saviour Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 The second subject of prayer is that in all the stations 
 already established good and substantial places of worship 
 may be erected for the permanent uses of the converts before 
 I be laid aside, that my successors may not be crippled on 
 this head, to put into operation the most desirable system of 
 self-support in the mission.
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 
 
 THE closing decade of the Bishop's long career 
 was marked by turbulence and shadowed by 
 suffering. It is sometimes granted to those who 
 go down to the sea in ships, after battling with many 
 storms, to return in fair weather, gliding along the 
 familiar home waters in unruffled calm, beneath 
 sunny skies. But it was not thus with the Bishop. 
 He had faced many a tempest, steered clear of hidden 
 and perilous reefs, and might have reasonably trusted 
 that as the end of the voyage drew nearer he, too, 
 might make the harbour on a tranquil day. The 
 great Disposer of his life and ours had, however, 
 otherwise ordained, and before the abundant entrance 
 was vouchsafed to this brave veteran mariner, the 
 clouds were to darken and billows of worry and dis- 
 appointment threaten his peace. 
 
 He was already full of years and growing a little 
 weary, although no one could detect any diminution 
 in his incessant labours and selfless zeal. Across his 
 immense diocese the mission stations on the Niger 
 were dotted at wide distances, and before the little 
 
 347
 
 348 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 
 
 steamer, the Henry Venn, was dispatched from 
 England for his service, he could only reach these 
 places at such intervals as the passing trading ships 
 would allow. This, too, as we have seen, was an 
 intermittent quantity, for the accident of an outrage 
 would cause a political isolation of the river for a 
 considerable time. And even with the advantage 
 of this little mission craft, which had to carry freight 
 to pay expenses, he found the work of supervision 
 exceedingly difficult with all his labours, his patience, 
 and his pains. He said little about these troubles 
 and difficulties, for he was not the man to wear his 
 heart upon his sleeve, but the fact remains, as we 
 have already seen in his history, that few men could 
 more adequately reahze the trials of the great Apostle 
 to the Gentiles as regards tribulations, for he was 
 literally in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in 
 perils of his own countrymen, in perils of the heathen, 
 in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in 
 hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and 
 nakedness, and beside these things which are without 
 that which came daily upon him, the care of all the 
 churches. And apart from the shepherding of the 
 flock, he had personal cares not a few. 
 
 One of the deepest sorrows of his fife was the death 
 of Mrs. Crowther, which occurred at Lagos on 19 
 October, 1880. In an earlier chapter of this book 
 their happy courtship and marriage were duly re- 
 corded. It will be remembered how they were brought 
 into touch as mere boy and girl; both had suffered 
 slavery and tasted the sweets of liberation, and they
 
 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 3^0 
 
 had bloomed together in the genial atmosphere of the 
 same Christian home. In the years of married hfe 
 which followed they had been everything to each 
 other. A missionary's wife has always to make 
 many sacrifices, and during the time when her husband 
 was on his long journeys as explorer and as Bishop, 
 Mrs. Crowther felt her part was to spare him, and 
 faithfully fulfil the not less sacred ministry of home 
 and children. And so it happened that after cele- 
 brating their golden wedding day, she was taken ill 
 during one of the Bishop's six months' visits in the 
 Henry Venn to the Upper Niger. When he returned 
 to Lagos it was to find his faithful helpmeet at the 
 point of death. " It was," he said, " one of her 
 earnest wishes, during her long illness, that she might 
 die in my arms, and this was granted her, though 
 she never knew it, for she lay unconscious till her 
 death." The old survivor mourned her loss with 
 secret tears, and went about his work again with his 
 heart in heaven. 
 
 A few years later another blow came to the Bishop, 
 when his venerable mother passed away at Lagos. She 
 was a great age, reaching nearly a century, and had 
 shared the shelter of her son's roof in these later years. 
 The Bishop was absent when her call came, but one 
 who stood by her deathbed afterwards assured him 
 that she died full of joy to go to the Saviour. In a 
 letter which the Bishop wrote while on board the s.s. 
 Qualaha, on 6 February, 1884, he makes the following 
 touching references to this sad event : 
 
 During my absence up the Niger my aged mother has been
 
 350 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 
 
 called to her rest at the advanced age of ninety-seven years. 
 We have much cause to be thankful that she was spared to 
 us so long in the midst of so many adverse changes in her 
 course of life and family circumstances, to be at last brought 
 to know the Saviour in whom she placed her trust as her Good 
 Shepherd to the end of her life. 
 
 When after twenty-five years of separation through the 
 violence of slave war, and we were brought together again 
 through God's good providence at Abeokuta in 1846, and I 
 told her that she must not expect that I should be stationary 
 at home with her as other members of the family would do, 
 because I was a travelling pubhc servant, her reply was : 
 " You are no longer my son, but the servant of God, whose 
 work you must attend unto without any anxiety for me ; it 
 is enough that I am pernutted to see you once more in this 
 world." 
 
 To this resolution she kept to the last. 
 
 When she was on her dying bed at Lagos in October last, 
 1883, she told Mrs. Macaulay, her granddaughter, who was 
 attending her, as follows : 
 
 " lya [mother] warned me not to write and tell you of her 
 state then, for fear of perplexing your mind ; she said to me : 
 ' Will you not tell him what took place afterwards ? Are you 
 afraid ? ' I replied : ' I am not afraid.' Then she said to me : 
 ' You are as good as your father's being at home ; keep near 
 to me, you have a great work to do.' " This was the last 
 account I received of her about me, when not many days after 
 she entered into her everlasting rest. I state this that you 
 may know what value she placed on my missionary work 
 among our heathen countrymen. 
 
 In recording these bereavements it would be the 
 Bishop's wish that a word might be added about 
 the loss he sustained by the death of his old friend 
 and fellow-traveUer, the Rev. J. F. Schon, in 1889. 
 To him he owed his first recommendation to missionary 
 work. He had been as a father to the young African 
 when his friends were few. Apart from his association 
 with the Bishop, Frederick Schon was a missionary 
 of a very high order, with great attainments and whole-
 
 TN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 351 
 
 hearted consecration to his work. His translations of 
 the Scriptures would alone perpetuate his name, and 
 those who knew him well will concur in Dr. Cust's 
 estimate of his labours when he says, " The new Chris- 
 tians will know nothing of this good and holy man 
 who paved the way for their salvation ; but his name 
 will be recorded in the Book of Life as the servant 
 who only closed his labours for his Master when he 
 ceased to breathe." When Frederick Schon passed, 
 the Church Missionary Society placed on record 
 that " he was called away in the very midst of his 
 labours, having been occupied within a few days of 
 his death in the correction of proof sheets of his own 
 translation in Hausa, of the Book of Common Prayer." 
 Besides these personal losses there lay upon the 
 Bishop's heart the shadow of increasing care and 
 anxiety about the state of his diocese. As the de- 
 moralization of native character on the Niger at 
 this time became a topic of sufficient importance 
 to demand an inquiry, it is only just to draw at- 
 tention again to the powerful agencies which were 
 at work, and may be in some degree responsible 
 for this declension. In a previous chapter attention 
 has been drawn to the frightful desolation caused 
 by the introduction into West Africa of strong drink. 
 Drunkenness was one of the counts of the indict- 
 ment brought against these native Christians, a sin 
 not to be palliated either in Lokoja or London, but 
 it is not surprising that amongst these weaker 
 brethren, fresh from heathenism, facing for the first 
 time the white man's conquering enemy, some should
 
 352 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 
 
 stumble. Then on the score of immoraUty, have 
 the natives been altogether to blame ? There are 
 Europeans, doubtless of unimpeachable character, 
 who in the walks of commerce, civil and mihtary Hfe, 
 are a credit to the Christian country from which they 
 have come. But others do not set a good example, 
 and the character and fair name of Christianity is 
 blasted by the inconsistency of men, who, free from 
 the controlhng influence of pubhc opinion, make the 
 natives feel, not only in West Africa either, that the 
 white man in some respects is quite as much a heathen 
 as themselves. Any missionary will confirm this, 
 although it is not a difficulty which takes the promi- 
 nence it deserves, in justice to the native races. 
 
 Another injurious element affecting the Niger 
 Mission, although not an evil in any way comparable 
 to those already referred to, was the inordinate love 
 of trading, which became indeed a passion with the 
 native coming fresh in touch with the outside market 
 of the world. In this respect the African is no better 
 or worse than any other human being, given the same 
 environment. The Bishop has shown us in his frank 
 manner how cunningly the native can battle in com- 
 petition for commodities, not in themselves harmful, 
 and how easily he gets into the current of smart bar- 
 gaining. Possibly practice with European adepts 
 in the art of good business has sharpened his wits 
 a fittle, and he has learnt his lesson only too well. 
 With wise foresight the Church Missionary Society 
 bound over all their agents and preachers not to 
 engage in trading of any sort, a very necessary stipu-
 
 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 353 
 
 lation which required something more than moral 
 courage to respect and obey in the face of kicrative 
 chances of doing this sub rosa. And in this direction, 
 as far as his knowledge and control extended, the 
 Bishop kept his clergy well within the four corners 
 of their bond. Any infraction of this rule would 
 clearly be detrimental to the true interests of the work, 
 and also provoke jealousy among the trading com- 
 munity, as creating an unfair competition in the sphere 
 of business. These, then, were some of the perils 
 which beset the mission, and in varying degrees of 
 complicity led to strong measures of disciphne in 
 some cases. 
 
 The stormy weather which was in store for the 
 devoted Niger mission began to manifest itself by 
 disquieting rumours which reached the ears of the 
 committee in Salisbury Square from travellers and 
 traders who had visited those regions. These be- 
 came so serious that it was impossible to disregard 
 them, and it was therefore arranged that a committee, 
 composed of the Bishop, three European missionaries, 
 the two native Archdeacons, and others, should meet 
 at Lagos to discuss the situation. Their report, 
 written by the Rev. J. B. Wood, a missionary of 
 experience and judgment, showed an unfavourable 
 state of affairs, and soon after its receipt in London 
 it was naturally referred back to the Bishop for his 
 consideration and comments. It was quite an un- 
 foreseen and pathetic coincidence that it reached 
 Lagos at the time of Mrs. Crowther's death in October, 
 1880.
 
 354 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 
 
 When in the following year the lay secretary 
 of the Society and the Rev. J. Bradford Whiting 
 were sent out to Madeira to meet the Bishop and 
 others there, the various allegations against the 
 native agents were carefully discussed. It was then 
 resolved that it would be a great advantage to the 
 w^ork on the Niger if an English clergyman could come 
 out to assist the Bishop as secretary to the mission, 
 and the Rev. T. Phillips, who had received ordination 
 at his hands, entered upon this arduous duty ; but 
 in nine months he returned home again, and upon 
 his recommendation several of the native agents on 
 the Niger were dismissed. It is not difficult to realize 
 how all these changes and acts of necessary discipline 
 upset the mind of the Bishop, especially feeling 
 that so much inconsistency on the part of the native 
 agents reflected upon the supervision which he, as 
 Bishop, had striven so hard to maintain. He had 
 done his best, but he was conscious that it was a 
 physical impossibility for him, apart altogether from 
 the question of his advancing years, to visit the stations 
 of the Upper Niger more frequently. 
 
 The trouble which was exercising the minds of 
 the workers and supporters, both at home and on 
 the Niger, was immensely aggravated at this juncture 
 by the publication in EngUsh journals, copied from 
 native sources, of a shocking scandal — nothing short 
 of murder, under brutal circumstances, of a girl by 
 two native agents of the Society at Onitsha. The 
 central secretary, Mr. Sutton, wTote immediately a 
 public disclaimer, explaining that the persons im-
 
 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 355 
 
 plicated were not then connected with the work, 
 one having been dismissed by the Bishop three years 
 before, and the other had since withdrawn. As a 
 matter of fact, the offence, grave as it was, had been 
 committed five years before, and its reappearance 
 at this time was due to the firm action of the Rev. J. B. 
 Wood, who having discovered the offence insisted, 
 at any cost, upon the guilty parties being punished. 
 A tempest of criticism and blame had, however, been 
 evoked at home, and the opportunity well served 
 some individuals to make an attack upon missions 
 generally, and the Niger mission in particular. The 
 secretary, however, put the case effectively in the 
 following words, which deserve quotation, as they 
 refer to the difficulties on the Niger, apart from the 
 specific charge : 
 
 A case like this, we need hardly say, is in reality no argu- 
 ment against missions. On the contrary, it is an additional 
 proof, if proof were needed, of the necessity of missions and 
 of working them vigorously and without stint. Christianity 
 at home does not prevent crime, nor is Christianity in Africa 
 likely to do so in the present dispensation. But individuals 
 may be saved from falling, and if the means at the committee's 
 disposal had enabled them to give more support to Bishop 
 Crowther in his arduous undertaking, and in particular if the 
 Henry Venn steamer, which has made frequent inspection of 
 the stations so much easier, had been provided some years 
 earlier, it may be that individual agents might have been 
 rescued in time from the temptations with which the great 
 enemy has so persistently beset them. 
 
 Much on the same lines was a strong article in the 
 " African Times," pubhshed in England, but simply 
 a trade journal, without any association with mis-
 
 356 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 
 
 sionary societies. The concluding words of this 
 journaHstic defender of Christian missions are these : 
 
 Finally, we would say to the Church Missionary Society : 
 " Be not discouraged because human wisdom is fallible. You 
 have in the ranks of your native teachers men who are work- 
 ing as zealously and as purely for their Lord and Master as 
 any, even the most faithful, of the ministry in the favoured 
 kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. You have scattered 
 seed in Western Africa which will, by the continual blessing 
 of the great Head of the Church, produce a glorious harvest. 
 
 The value of such a testimony at a time of trial 
 like this may be appreciated when it is remembered 
 that on 12 April, 1883, the Duke of Somerset made 
 the incident the occasion for a violent attack upon 
 the Church Missionary Society in the House of Lords, 
 which drew from Earl Cairns and Dr. Benson, the 
 newly-elected Archbishop of Canterbury, a defence 
 which will be memorable. 
 
 While these contrary winds of criticism and cross 
 currents of difficulty were giving so much anxiety 
 at home, it is not surprising that at the scene of 
 operations on the banks of the Niger the trouble 
 was equally distressing. The Bishop had been in 
 England the year before, conferring with the committee 
 and labouring hard to settle on a satisfactory basis 
 the perplexing problems of his diocese. And now, 
 back again at his work, with this fresh clamour in 
 his ears, and a burdened heart, he hurried from station 
 to station, cheering, admonishing, and blessing his 
 little flock. Archdeacon Henry Johnson meanwhile 
 was hard at work on the Upper Niger, sometimes at 
 Lokoja preaching to a crowd of mixed nationalities,
 
 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 357 
 
 with four different interpreters at his side. His 
 remarkable facility in mastering the various languages 
 proved a great advantage to the mission. 
 
 It was felt that his hands would be much 
 strengthened if a medical mission could be established 
 at or near Lokoja, and a young qualified man, Dr. 
 Percy Brown, came out from England and started 
 a dispensary, doing good service in this direction. 
 But the healing ministry of this young missionary of 
 so much promise was destined to be short-lived. The 
 African fever laid him low ; around his prostrate form 
 stood a crowd of natives, his own patients, watching 
 with pity and wonderment the white man, who could 
 heal others, so sick and overcome with weakness him- 
 self. 
 
 He was lifted on board the next vessel saiHng 
 for England, but died on his way home, and was 
 committed to the watery deep until that great day 
 when the sea shall give up its dead. The sweet 
 simplicity of this young doctor's manner had endeared 
 him to his sorrowing patients. One of them was a 
 convert at Ghebe, and continued for years a consistent 
 member of the church at Lokoja. Upon this man 
 Dr. Percy Brown had performed a difficult but quite 
 successful operation, and had personally nursed him 
 afterwards, until he was able to resume his usual 
 work. In token of his gratitude he used to come 
 every morning to the doctor's door, bringing fresh 
 water and firewood. On hearing of the death of 
 his benefactor and friend this poor man was heart- 
 broken. This pathetic failure of a brave attempt to
 
 358 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 
 
 start a needed branch of the mission was a misfortune 
 to workers and natives aUke. 
 
 The Bishop was much cheered when the Rev. 
 James Hamilton consented, under these trying cir- 
 cumstances, to go out to the Niger and act in 
 place of Mr. PhilHps, who had been invahded home. 
 The new secretary was an old and valued Sierra 
 Leone missionary, who understood the nature of 
 the native work, and had retired for a time, 
 working as Association Secretary in England. He 
 entered upon his duties with tact and delicacy of 
 feeling, travelled with his old friend the Bishop from 
 place to place, holding courts of inquiry, and, where 
 necessary, dismissing any agents against whom the 
 evidence was sufficient to warrant such acts of dis- 
 cipline. He seems to have grasped the difficulties, 
 and found the Bishop always ready to concur in 
 any suggestion for improvement and the better 
 supervision of the work. For a time all things were 
 working well ; a new Henry Venn was built and sent 
 out to take the place of the old vessel, which had 
 ceased to be of any value, and an English builder had 
 also brought out to the Niger some valuable practical 
 experience in that line. 
 
 Archdeacon Henry Johnson being in England 
 in 1885, the University of Cambridge conferred upon 
 him the honorary degree of M.A., in recognition of 
 his hnguistic attainments. Before returning to his 
 work on the Niger he confirmed a report he had sent 
 on the state of things there, pointing out how very 
 difficult it was to conduct its operations with any
 
 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 359 
 
 measure of success with such a weakened and 
 diminished staff of workers. Still he said he was 
 sanguine of the ultimate result. 
 
 " If the mission," said he, " was established by 
 the will of God, if the work is His, as we have no doubt 
 that it is, if it is His desire that it should continue to 
 be carried on for the benefit of the tribes along the 
 banks of the Niger, as we may conclude from what 
 He is now achieving by His weakest instruments, 
 then surely we are bound to beheve that without 
 doubt He will thrust forth labourers into this His own 
 harvest field." 
 
 On the appointment of the Rev. James Hamilton 
 to be Archdeacon of Lagos, in 1887, he was succeeded 
 by the Rev. J. A. Robinson as new EngHsh secretary, 
 who subsequently joined Mr. Graham Wilmot Brooke 
 and others in a new departure, whereby an attempt 
 was to be made to reach the Hausas. The scheme 
 was an original one, as it involved the missionary 
 wearing the flowing robe and turban of the Mohamme- 
 dan, and both Brooke and Robinson wished it to be 
 understood that they renounced all the privileges 
 of their British nationahty : "If they imprison us, 
 the British Government is not to mterfere ; if they 
 kill us, no reparation must be demanded." 
 
 Never, perhaps, did any missionary party go away 
 under such enthusiastic and hopeful circumstances. 
 At the crowded valedictory meeting in Exeter Hall 
 on 20 January, 1890, the Bishop was present, and 
 gave them his blessing. The courage and devotion 
 of these missionaries, the noble and ambitious project
 
 36o IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 
 
 to which they had committed themselves, and possibly 
 the fact of the Niger having caused so much anxiety 
 hitherto, all combined to raise the highest hopes of 
 success. It must not, however, be thought that this 
 was the first attempt to bring the Gospel to the Hausas, 
 for the Bishop had for years past taken every oppor- 
 tunity of exploring their country, having undertaken, 
 as we have seen, several journeys to Bida, and his 
 desire had always been to push on as far as Kano, 
 and establish an outpost of the mission there. His 
 special interest in the Mohammedans marked the 
 growth and progress of all his work on the Niger. 
 
 But this new venture was a definite enterprise, 
 with the aim of reaching them on new lines and 
 methods. The journals of these missionaries are 
 full of interest, and the story of their experiences, 
 especially among the Moslems, is a striking page of 
 missionary history. At a public discussion held in the 
 open air at Lokoja, where a mixed party of Moham- 
 medans, comprising Hausa, Fulahi from Sokoto, 
 Yorubas from Ilorin, and Hausa traders living on the 
 spot, the missionary, clad in flowing white, and wear- 
 ing the turban, sat to receive them in Oriental fashion, 
 and as each native visitor arrived a respectful saluta- 
 tion was made to the EngHshman, sinking down upon 
 one knee with the words, " Greeting, scribe." 
 
 The adoption of native costume raised many 
 questions among the Mohammedans and some sus- 
 picions. The Governor of Egga, upon whom the 
 missionaries caUed, was by no means satisfied, and 
 demanded to know what secret purpose was under-
 
 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 361 
 
 lying this strange and unusual practice for a white 
 man. The answer given explains the position 
 taken up by these new missionaries : 
 
 We came into the country (they replied) to make known 
 the work of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, whom God sent down 
 from heaven for the sake of the whole world six hundred 
 years before Mohammed began writing his Koran. We 
 quickly found that a great misconception was quite universal. 
 It was supposed that we preach the white man's religion for 
 the benefit of heathen tribes, but that Islam was the proper 
 religion for Hausas and Nupes. It is not so ; we ourselves 
 are but disciples, and you must obey the message of God as 
 well as we— it cannot be annulled. Therefore, after consulta- 
 tion, we have resolved to put off our own dress and our own 
 customs, which are in no wise a part of our religion, and to 
 adopt yours, in order that when you see us pass along the 
 streets dressed as Hausa you may remember that it is you — 
 you we summon to submit to our blessed Lord, who is coming 
 again from heaven to reign over the whole earth. 
 
 The Governor listened, and politely said good-bye, 
 but did not return the call of his visitors. Whether 
 this black official continued to care for none of these 
 things, except presents, history does not relate. 
 
 This mission, inaugurated amid so much enthusiasm, 
 watched by home friends with such interest and hope- 
 fuhiess, was doomed to failure. After a manful 
 struggle against attacks of fever, one by one the workers 
 were invalided home, death entered the ranks, and, 
 finally, both the leading spirits and pioneers of the 
 expedition, Mr. Robinson and Mr. Graham Wilmot 
 Brooke, died. 
 
 The division of the work into two distinct parts, 
 the Upper Niger and Soudan and the Lower Niger, 
 represented by the Delta, which had taken place,
 
 362 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 
 
 although nominally under the supervision of the 
 Bishop, was not an unmixed advantage. Very 
 drastic measures of reform adopted by the local 
 committee at Lokoja involved the dismissal of several 
 native agents, and the continual strain of these dis- 
 cussions as to the justice of this in some cases 
 began to tell upon the strength, if not the patient 
 endurance, of the old Bishop. It is needless and 
 inexpedient after this lapse of time to awaken the 
 echoes of that time of trial ; it is enough to affirm, 
 on the one hand, that the condition of the work fully 
 justified prompt and efficient action to enforce dis- 
 cipHne and remove the reproach which the incon- 
 sistency of some agents had brought upon the mission. 
 At the same time, no blame was attached to the 
 Bishop personally, for he had done his utmost to 
 keep his under-shepherds and their flocks in order, 
 and with great fairness and judgment he presided 
 over these committees, whose function it was to deal 
 with such matters. Nothing became the man so well 
 as the dignity and Christian forbearance he displayed. 
 But it must be added that his feelings were much 
 wounded by what he felt was a lack of consideration 
 and even interference with his proper province as 
 Bishop of the diocese. He never objected to the 
 introduction of European missionaries; indeed, he 
 always felt that their co-operation and help were 
 most valuable ; but he was quite naturally jealous 
 of that native ministry which had been created by 
 his labours and prayers during a lifetime, and which 
 he firmly believed to be a necessity and blessing to
 
 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 363 
 
 the work. As the first African Bishop he honoured 
 and loved his native clergy. He was no fanatic on 
 the subject of a native ministry, but he was patriotic 
 to the core, and rejoiced to see his own country being 
 evangelized by her own sons. It must also be borne 
 in mind that the great ideal of a native Church with 
 a native ministry, self-supporting, was first advocated 
 by that venerable and honoured secretary of the 
 Church Missionary Society, the Rev. Henry Venn, 
 for whom the Bishop had the greatest respect and 
 affection. 
 
 As regards the consistency of the members of these 
 native churches, which had been so strongly, and in 
 some cases justifiably criticized, it is only just to 
 take into consideration that they had emerged from 
 heathenism but a few years before, and had not had 
 the advantage, as is the case with the converts in 
 England, of a Christian parentage and a favourable 
 environment. They could not fairly be measured 
 by European standards, and their backsHdings, 
 regrettable as they were, might be largely due to the 
 pressure of peculiar temptations and of surroundings 
 of which they recently formed a part, and might easily 
 entangle them again. The native Christians, how- 
 ever, knew how to suffer for the faith, and endured 
 with patience and fidelity trials which would be im- 
 possible for the white man to bear. As we have 
 seen, the slaves who had trusted in Christ were the 
 prey of their Mohammedan masters, and made to 
 suffer indignities and penalties which would not have 
 been their portion if they had not chosen the Gospel
 
 364 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 
 
 brought by the missionary. Some had suffered the 
 pains of slavery, but their liberty had been assured 
 under the British flag. Now, however, as the willing 
 slaves of Jesus Christ, they, like St. Paul, were ready 
 to endure all things. When a leading chief passed 
 through their towns and villages these poor people 
 were the specially selected victims of their hate and 
 rapacity. 
 
 An instance of this occurred at Lokoja. One 
 of the relatives of a passing chief exercised their 
 privilege of robbing these hapless natives, and if they 
 dared to resist they were made to suffer for their 
 remonstrance. One of the Christian converts having 
 ventured to draw attention to the simple fact that his 
 sheep was stolen, was tied up, together with his wife, 
 and exposed to the heat of the burning sun, while 
 three thieves went to his house and barn and carried 
 away everything they could lay their hands on. 
 Even then the suffering was not over, for the chief 
 fined the poor man fifty bags of cowries, and slavery 
 for three of his household. Utterly ruined and half- 
 dead, he had to escape into the bush, and after hiding 
 for three days, crossed over to Ghebe, and waited 
 patiently till this tyranny was overpast. Disappointed 
 of their victim, these ruffians fell upon the house of 
 his neighbour, and carried off some of its inmates 
 to be sold as slaves. This incident will give some 
 idea of the lawlessness of a town which had a certain 
 importance as a trading station, and what the 
 Christian converts had to bear. In what spirit did 
 these converts regard their enemies ? One instance
 
 ARCHDEACON DANDESON C. CROWTHER 
 
 To face page 364
 
 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 365 
 
 will suffice. The persecutions at Bonny have been 
 already depicted. If ever a people exercised the 
 " charity which suffereth long and is kind," these 
 poor black, ill-treated Christians did ; gathered in a 
 prayer meeting when the fiery furnace of their af- 
 flictions and woes was at its hottest, one of them is 
 heard praying : " We beseech Thee not to rain down 
 fire and brimstone on these stiff-necked people, as 
 in the case of Sodom and Gomorrah, but we pray 
 Thee to rain down Thy love on them, as in the case 
 of Saul, so that the persecutors may be arrested on 
 their way to ask, ' Lord, what wilt Thou have me to 
 do ? '" 
 
 Is it any wonder that for such as these, his children 
 in the faith, the old Bishop had most tender affection ? 
 Every missionary has a peculiar love for his converts, 
 and looks at them with eyes altogether unlike, and 
 impossible to, even the best friend of the heathen at 
 home. They have seen the horror of great darkness 
 which preceded their conversion, against many diffi- 
 culties and disappointments faith and prayer have 
 struggled, and now that the Divine light shines on 
 these black faces, there is joy as of a battle won. 
 Still more so was this the case with the Bishop, for 
 he had the additional interest of being one of them- 
 selves, raised up to be a leader and commander of 
 his people. 
 
 For this reason the backsliding of his flock was all 
 the more keenly felt ; love always suffers most. 
 But there was no weakness in the Bishop. He was 
 not afraid to exercise discipline, and was vigilant to
 
 366 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 
 
 detect its necessity, as far as human discernment 
 could allow : 
 
 Surely (says he) I think these facts must show that I did 
 not shut mine eyes to the faults of the agents of the Niger 
 Mission during a period of now over twenty-five years. 
 
 Just one letter shall be quoted to show his spirit 
 in dealing with delinquents. He has discovered one 
 of the tutors of his Institution guilty of a breach of 
 the seventh Commandment, though otherwise a 
 capable and apparently respectable man. He is 
 writing about it from Lokoja, 23 October, 1884 : 
 
 This is another proof that we are apt to be misled by the 
 outward appearance or intellectual qualifications of men ; 
 whereas the Lord looks into the heart which has imbibed the 
 disposition of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, learning 
 daily to be meek and lowly, to be pure and holy, according 
 to the dictates of the Holy Spirit, which He has promised to 
 give us as an indwelling Teacher. 
 
 And again, after discussing the inconsistency of 
 the native converts, and lamenting the backsliding 
 which has given such occasion for their suspension 
 and exclusion from membership, he shows that due 
 care has been taken in accepting such. He is writing 
 from Bonny on 16 May, 1890 : 
 
 All which tends to show that the life of a Christian in this 
 world is a life of constant warfare, of watchfulness, lest Satan 
 take an advantage over us ; it is a life of earnest prayer to 
 the strong man for support in time of trial and temptation, 
 that he may not be ignorant of his devices though he may 
 appear as an angel of light. 
 
 We never feel satisfied with the external sign of Christian 
 profession. When the converts brought to us their idols and 
 other objects of worship in the service of Satan, until we have 
 instructed them, with the whole armour of God, to stand in
 
 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 367 
 
 the evil day, and pray that He may not leave them to them- 
 selves to be drawn back to the bondage of Satan from which 
 He has already set them free, notwithstanding what allure- 
 ments may be offered to draw them back or whatever may 
 be the threat to their mortal bodies, even to death ; that they 
 may stand steadfast by faith that Christ is with them. 
 
 In some cases the Bishop asks that judgment 
 may be withheld before utterly condemning some 
 of these natives, who as slaves perhaps in the midst 
 of heathen customs cannot so entirely avoid being, 
 at any rate, spectators of these rites. He is writing 
 from Onitsha on 12 August, 1885 : 
 
 We firmly demand and insist upon entire separation of all 
 Christian converts from having a hand or voice in any such 
 acts of violence, injustice, or brutality in the future. But 
 when we make such a stand against the future we must not 
 be overbearing in punishing what has been done against the 
 will of those who were involved in such acts, who would have 
 willingly got out of it if they could find a way to do so, they 
 being under the influence of the heathen authorities, whom 
 they could not contradict. In cases of these our severe pun- 
 ishment to maintain Christian discipline must be moderated 
 with sympathy and guided by due allowance for the measure 
 of knowledge and experienced Christian principle which the 
 converts possessed to guide and govern them under such 
 perplexing circumstances, they having scarcely emerged out 
 of these rooted barbarous practices of their forefathers. 
 
 Through all these trials and resettlements of the 
 mission the Bishop never wavered in his confidence 
 in the value of native agency. His ideal never forsook 
 him, and to his mind the lesson to be learned from 
 these painful experiences was that not only the 
 selection, but the training of the agents should be 
 more carefully considered and safeguarded. He 
 pointed out that in breaking up the hard ground
 
 368 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 
 
 work of the Niger Mission he was very glad in the 
 years gone by to have the co-operation of agents 
 whose education was sUght, but being of ripe Christian 
 experience, and having the spirit and perseverance 
 of pioneers, they well answered the needs of that 
 time. They were superior to the chiefs by having 
 a knowledge of the Christian religion, and able to 
 hold their own in argument. As an instance of this, 
 old King Ockiya once asked for a teacher, adding, 
 " I do not want a boy, but a man," meaning not age, 
 but the capacity to discuss and take a superior stand 
 among the chiefs and headmen. These agents were 
 not from an intellectual standpoint ideal teachers, 
 but they did their duty. The Bishop observes : 
 
 Though I do not advocate their ordination now, as I was 
 compelled to do some years past, yet I would most seriously 
 advise the committee not to overlook the usefulness of such 
 Christian men. ... It is now and then the will of the Great 
 Shepherd to employ the services of such men to caU hundreds 
 of wandering sheep into the fold. 
 
 But in writing from the mission station at Bonny 
 on II July, 1884, he gives, with his usual humility, 
 a word of advice upon a subject upon which he was 
 perhaps the best qualified to render any counsel. 
 He is so anxious that the character of the native 
 agents should be maintained, that they should be 
 weU equipped, all-round, capable men of God : 
 
 In adverting to the agents to be employed in the mission 
 hereafter, I hope I shall not be considered as a persistent 
 conservative in my ideas on this subject, in spite of any im- 
 proved plan, which may have been adapted to be followed 
 hereafter. I am as liberal, open, and favourable to improved 
 and well-qualified agents as any well-wisher of the mission
 
 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 369 
 
 can be — namely, that none but the best and well qualified of 
 the sons of the African churches — whose hearts are fired with 
 ardent zeal, whose bowels yearned with love and longing desire 
 for the salvation of their countrymen — should be employed 
 as mission agents. That they should be decided spiritual men, 
 because spiritual men can only teach spiritual things. That 
 interpreters are only crutches, especially if they are not 
 spiritual men, and should be got rid of as soon as possible. 
 
 Standing in the midst of his flock, yearning over 
 the fearful ones, weeping over the wandering, his 
 heart still full of gratitude for what God had done 
 for and through him in the past, the old grey-headed 
 shepherd of souls is wistfully looking towards a future 
 in which he can no longer take a part. These troubles 
 have cut him deeply, but his heart bleeds in secret, 
 and only here and there in his letters, and then more 
 between the Hues than along the written words, 
 do we see something of what he feels. Here is the 
 fragment of a letter written to the secretary in London 
 on 30 January, 1884 : 
 
 I know my place as negro, but I have ever paid my respects 
 to Europeans, whether old or young, missionaries or those 
 in secular occupations, as the race of our benefactors, to whom 
 we owe our bodily freedom and the spiritual privileges of the 
 glorious liberty of the Christian religion. ... I have never 
 left undone anything which I thought might conduce to the 
 health and welfare of a white man in this country of Africa. 
 . . . My intention is to show clearly the present state of things 
 and to urge the Parent Committee to supply the Niger Mission 
 with as many European missionaries as they can, to be the 
 chief workers under the superintendence of the European 
 secretary. . . . The Europeans are better managers, their actions 
 and report will be better confided in both out here and in 
 England. We shall be content to work under their direction 
 as in former years. This impediment will not be removed 
 from the way of the extension of the mission. 
 2 B
 
 370 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 
 
 His one absorbing thought was his work ; while 
 under Divine guidance he could be of any service 
 he was ready and willing to go on ; but if any better 
 way or wiser worker could be found, the Bishop was 
 quite willing to stand aside. All who knew him 
 personally will confirm this. But it is not surprising 
 that at times the old man grew sad and depressed ; 
 worry began to wear even where hard work had told 
 little as yet. Just a week after sending the foregoing 
 letter he writes another, the very penmanship here 
 and there vibrant with the throbbing of his heart : 
 
 After long prayerful and mature consideration, I have 
 thought it advisable to write out the impression which the 
 present state of the Niger Mission has made upon my mind. 
 If others are delicate to tell me of my incompetency in the 
 superintendence of the Niger Mission, it is my duty to relieve 
 their minds of that delicacy. I am ready to yield place to 
 others to act as leading managers of the Niger Mission. I am 
 willing, as long as my health lasts, to labour as a pioneer in 
 opening fresh grounds, while the already established stations 
 can be worked by superior intellects and better managers. 
 
 The work is a public one and of great importance, and 
 should by no means be allowed to suffer for want of proper 
 management, strictness of discipline, and firmness of principles. 
 
 It is needless to say that the Society, true to its 
 great traditions, would not consent to the step sug- 
 gested by the Bishop. Amid all the clamour and 
 criticism of their own administration, with its con- 
 flicting reports, resignations, personalities, and mis- 
 understandings, the committee did their utmost to 
 hold blameless that venerable figure. To his labours, 
 life, and unique personality the work on the Niger 
 had owed its very existence. His stainless name
 
 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 371 
 
 was associated with every step of its advancement, 
 and when the storm of trial came, and it seemed as if 
 shipwreck was inevitable, his courage and loyalty 
 were not counted on in vain. Never possibly had 
 any society such a sorrow to undergo ; it was a decade 
 of care and burden under the strain of which the 
 health of many responsible for affairs was impaired, 
 and some precious lives never survived. It was one 
 of those experiences which teach the human heart 
 its infinite need, and that the wisest judgments some- 
 times are at fault. When discipline had purged the 
 native churches, dismissed the agents who were ad- 
 judged unsatisfactory, and reorganized the entire 
 work under European direction, one of the firstfruits 
 was the expressed desire of the native churches of 
 the Delta to form themselves into a separate and 
 self-supporting mission. The idea was not a new one. 
 So far back as 1881 the Bishop drew attention to 
 a plan whereby the chiefs (and particularly when in 
 1864, after King Pepple's death) might subscribe 
 and share at any rate a part of the expense of establish- 
 ing a Christian mission in the Delta. The subject 
 did not at the time receive much attention, but the 
 native churches were constantly encouraged to do 
 their utmost for the support of the work. But under 
 the circumstances which had transpired it was not 
 surprising that the converts felt the time had arrived 
 when they should make an effort to put in practice 
 that hope expressed by the late Henry Venn, " that 
 in course of time the churches in the Niger Mission 
 shall become self-supporting, as those in the Colonies
 
 372 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 
 
 are." After taking the sense of the members of the 
 churches, a formal apphcation was placed in the hands 
 of the Bishop, who sent it to Salisbury Square, with 
 his personal approval and support. His closing 
 words were : 
 
 When the extensive openings in the oil rivers in God's 
 good providence are taken into consideration, and the un- 
 healthiness of the muddy Delta region as a natural impediment 
 to European health and life is weighed, I feel convinced that 
 the suggestion of the churches of the native pastorates of 
 Lagos and Sierra Leone is providential that the Delta district 
 should be made a native pastorate to be worked entirely- 
 through native agency, towards the expenses of which they 
 resolved to contribute a supplement. 
 
 And now at last the Bishop broke down. He had 
 always been so uncomplaining, and his energy never 
 failed him, for he had a constitution which carried him 
 through toils and hardships to which others younger, 
 to right and left of him, succumbed. Nobody ex- 
 pected him to fall ; even those who were with him, 
 and knew him best, marvelled that he kept up so 
 bravely, in spite of unremitting toil and anxiety. 
 But it came at last. In a letter written to Salisbury 
 Square in August, 1891, came tidings of sudden in- 
 disposition, which made his many English friends 
 greatly grieved. Still, in his quiet, cheerful way he 
 made little of it, said the trouble was only the result 
 of a cold after enduring the excessive rains of two 
 months' wet season, but it was really much more 
 serious. In a letter addressed to General Hutchinson, 
 dated 16 October, 1891, and thanking him for some 
 words of sympathy, he gives some details :
 
 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 373 
 
 I was laid aside by a sudden attack of paralysis, as I got 
 up from my desk, which paralyzed my right hand and leg 
 and affected my speech for many days, so that I could not 
 speak audibly. The doctor thought a change of place would 
 improve me, and therefore ordered me to this place, for which 
 I left Bonny on the 25th September and got here on the 28th. 
 I am thankful to say that I am improving, hoping to be all 
 right again in a few weeks. I sincerely thank the many kind 
 friends who sympathize with me in my affliction, from which 
 I never suffered before. Wishing soon to recover my health, 
 to spend the remainder of my days in the service of our Divine 
 Master, I remain. 
 
 Sincerely yours, 
 
 Samuel A. Crowther. 
 
 To his dear friend, Rev. J. Bradford Whiting, he 
 writes to the same effect, and a fortnight afterwards 
 he is more hopeful in his letter to the secretary, and 
 
 says : 
 
 I am glad to say it has done me good, and if it continues 
 so I shall soon be fit to resume work. 
 
 A touching reference is made by way of apology 
 for his shaky handwriting ; the clear, precise regularity 
 of his pen is certainly missed. When the Rev. H. 
 Dobinson called to see him one day he found the old 
 Bishop slowly recovering, but not at all himself. 
 For hours he would sit, deep in thought, gazing across 
 the sea. 
 
 Every life has its stormy weather, and every bit 
 of work for God and humanity has its day of cold 
 grey sky. These are the times when clouds of mis- 
 giving, much bigger than a man's hand, creep up 
 from the horizon to mock us, and every gust that 
 blows wafts a wailing requiem to our ears. The 
 song of the birds ceases, the face of nature seems
 
 374 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 
 
 strangely full of pity, our need may be the plea of 
 many prayers, but we feel somehow that the burden 
 on our heart is being borne by ourselves alone — and 
 God. It may be that our confidence in man, like 
 thin ice, is breaking at every step, for where help was 
 expected trouble has come ; we have been misjudged, 
 perhaps we too in part have also misunderstood. 
 Then like the disciples on the Emmaus road, with 
 our plaintive " But we trusted," we look into the 
 face of Divine compassion, and ere long, when our 
 eyes are no longer holden, the sunshine of His presence 
 turns our sorrow into wondering joy. 
 
 Possibly such an experience dwelt in the Bishop's 
 heart as he watched the dawn and sunset on that 
 Lagos shore. He seems to have kept it very much 
 to himself. He was half in heaven. His wife was 
 there, and his mother and a multitude of beloved 
 friends. He told his own heart that his work was 
 done, and he doubtless felt, as all the aged do, the 
 intimations of the end. In the watchful hours of 
 the lonely nights he heard the music of a far-off land, 
 as would a mariner in sight of home. And when the 
 day came back, and he went forth in the morning 
 slowly towards the sea, the crisp hair on his brow 
 looked a little greyer, and the Unes were deepening in 
 his face ; those bright, pathetic eyes shone with a 
 pleasing sadness, like sunshine after rain. 
 
 When Archdeacon Hamilton landed at Lagos on 
 one of the last days of December, he spent an hour 
 with the Bishop, and afterwards took him on his arm 
 to a dismissal meeting of seven schoolmasters going
 
 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 375 
 
 out from the training institution. At the close the 
 old man stood up and gave his blessing, tenderly, 
 fatherly, with slow and faltering speech, his last act 
 of public service. So much had he brightened up 
 with the change of air and scene that he spent a 
 good part of the next day in diocesan business with 
 his visitors, at which time, with evident effort, he 
 rallied his forces of memory and mind to the important 
 matters under discussion. He even spoke of leaving 
 for Bonny the first week of January, and sent a letter 
 to Major Macdonald, the Consul from the Oil Rivers, 
 now Sir Claude Macdonald, of Japan, who happened 
 to be at Lagos, asking if he could give him a passage 
 in his steamer. On Christmas morning he walked 
 to Christ Church, and this was his last attendance at 
 the house of God. A week passed, and the last day 
 of the old year was reached. It was his custom to 
 write out in draft form any correspondence of im- 
 portance, and in an old Letts's Diary there is a feebly 
 written letter which he had attempted to compose 
 in acknowledgment of a kindly expressed letter from 
 Salisbury Square. This letter was never sent, and 
 has a very pathetic interest as being scrawled by a 
 dying hand. It was possibly the very last writing 
 he penned before he passed away. There is a pencil 
 note to the effect that the doctor in attendance on 
 the Bishop forbade him to write any more : 
 
 My dear Sir, — You will see by my handwriting that I had 
 been sick since these four weeks, sick by — on my right hand 
 and foot and affecting my speech, so the doctor forbid my 
 doing anything, but I am getting better.
 
 376 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 
 
 But, sir, your two accompanying documents brought to 
 my memory my visit to the Archbishop of Canterbury 
 about two archdeacons. It is possible I was accompanied by 
 a secretary, by whom (explained) the matter to the Arch- 
 bishop, to which he gave his assent, or he assented to the 
 secretary. I thought it was right, I being a novice and not 
 knowing the difference. I apologize for my ignorance. Your 
 memorandum of my character before (and after) my call to 
 the ministry in 1843, and after my call to the episcopacy in 
 1864, to this day was in answer to my prayer that the God 
 who called me first from among my people to the important 
 post in His service, may give me grace to set a good example 
 for others to follow. 
 
 Since my appointment to the superintendent of the Niger 
 Mission in 1857 to the present I never refuse any suggestion 
 made by the committee for the improvement of the Niger 
 Mission. Though I am single-handed, I like to be improved 
 by the ideas of others. 
 
 His daughter, Mrs. Macaulay, at whose house he 
 spent the last days, has kindly supphed a recital, 
 in simple and touching words, of what took place 
 on this final and never-to-be-forgotten day of his life : 
 
 He was up as usual on the morning of the 31st, dressed, 
 and went through the morning devotions as he did every day ; 
 then had his tea after seven o'clock. About eight o'clock he 
 sent to call me to read a letter to him. I took the letter and 
 read it, and said : " Father, I have read this letter to you 
 several times." He said : "I have read it too." (This was 
 the last letter he got from the Secretary of the C.M.S., Salisbury 
 Square.) 
 
 I then said : "If you want any more letters read to you, 
 father, call for Charles [a grandson of his] ; he will read them 
 to you. I am going to be busy with your breakfast." He 
 smiled, and I left him sitting at the table, with his Prayer Book 
 and hymn-book and some papers. 
 
 About nine o'clock or so an old Christian woman, Emma 
 Taiwo, called to see the Bishop. I told her she could go and 
 have a chat with him ; he is not busy, and will be leaving in 
 a day or two for Bonny. She went into the parlour and re- 
 turned in haste, and told me his head was not properly on the
 
 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 377 
 
 sofa. I ran in just in time to take hold of him, to save him 
 from dropping from the sofa, and I called: "Father! father!" 
 
 He answered me. I said : " What is the matter ? " He 
 made no reply, but when I asked if he was cold he nodded, 
 and said : " Yes." I ran for some brandy and water, which 
 he drank, and sent for Dr. I. Baudle, as Dr. O. Johnson was 
 away from home. 
 
 After the attack he did not speak much, but answered when 
 spoken to. 
 
 At two o'clock in the afternoon the doctor said he should 
 go into his bedroom, as the wind was blowing cold. He walked 
 to the room supported. I had not the least thought there 
 was anything serious, although I kept all the time with him. 
 The doctor was in and out constantly ; his last visit was at 
 seven o'clock. He took the medicine patiently, sitting. I said 
 something about his coughing ; he said, " No pain." 
 
 At midnight when I came in to give him his medicine he 
 sat up and said he hoped it was the last dose. He lay down, 
 and as I covered him I said, " Good night, father," and he 
 said, " Good night." Half an hour later I heard movements 
 in his room and saw father just lying down, and I jumped on 
 the bed, for I saw he was dying. " Father ! father ! " I cried. 
 He heaved a sigh, and all was over. He passed away at a 
 quarter to one in the morning. 
 
 So the end had come at last ! To that Httle room 
 God's messenger had brought the mandate for His 
 beloved to come Home. 
 
 " The Master calls for thee," and at that word 
 The servant rose and passed the Gate of Life, 
 
 Whose janitor is Death, and, listening, heard 
 The song triumphant o'er the end of strife. 
 
 Into the sunlight, after darkness drear. 
 
 Out of long travail, into perfect rest, 
 This side, the wreath of cypress and the tear, 
 
 Beyond, the Rose of Sharon and the blest. 
 
 No breath of change can ruffle thy sweet calm, 
 Nor cloud of care break in upon thy peace. 
 
 Thine the white raiment and the victor's palm. 
 The joys unspeakable that never cease.
 
 378 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 
 
 We, still in conflict, for a little space, 
 
 Would strive and bear and do, with faith like thine, 
 If haply His poor wandering sheep may trace 
 
 The path of mercy to the Love Divine. 
 
 He was buried next day, i January, 1892, the funeral 
 service being held at Christ Church, and a solemn 
 address was given by the Rev. James (now Bishop) 
 Johnson to a large congregation, including the Governor 
 and most of the chief European officials. Ten clergy- 
 men, European and native, including his two nephews, 
 preceded the coffin, strewn with ferns and frangipani, to 
 the grave, the Rev. E. Pearse taking the first part of the 
 service, and Archdeacon Hamilton the committal. He 
 was laid by the side of his wife and mother, and the 
 mourners sang together, " Hush, blessed are the dead." 
 
 Something, however, more enduring than these 
 sweet but fading flowers was destined to mark the 
 resting-place of the late Bishop. His many friends 
 in England and West Africa gladly subscribed, and 
 as a result a beautiful monument in white marble was 
 erected, and this was unveiled with much ceremony 
 on 4 August, 1898. A large crowd of people of all 
 classes gathered in the cemetery. On every hand 
 there were signs of the deepest respect for the one 
 whose memory they came to honour. Several hymns 
 were sung, and prayer offered by the clergy. His 
 Excellency the Governor then spoke of the virtues of 
 the Bishop, and unveiled the monument. An address 
 was afterwards dehvered in Yoruba by the Rev. James 
 (now Bishop) Johnson, and after the choir had sung 
 the recessional hymn following the Benediction,
 
 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 379 
 
 a large number of the spectators lingered behind to 
 read the inscription, which is as follows : 
 
 Sacred to tue Memory of 
 
 Zbc TRigbt TRcv. Samuel Bjagt Crowtber, 2).S>., 
 
 A MATIVB OF OSOGUN, IN THE YORUBA COUMTRT ; 
 
 A RECAPTURED AND LIBERATED SLAVE ; 
 
 THE FIRST STUDENT IN THE ChURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY'S COLLEQE, 
 
 AT FouRAH Bay, Sierra Leone ; 
 
 ORDAINED IN ENGLAND BY THE BiSHOP OF LONDON, JUNE llTH, 1843 ; 
 THE FIRST NATIVE CLERGYMAN OF THE ChURCH OF ENGLAND IN WeST AFRICA, 
 
 Consecrated Bishop June 29th, 1864. 
 
 A faithful, earnest and devoted missionary in connection with 
 
 the Church Missionary Society for 62 years, 
 
 at Sierra Leone, in the Timini and Yoruba Countries, 
 
 AND IN the Niger Territory ; 
 
 HE accompanied THE FIRST RoYAL NlGER EXPEDITION IN 1841 ; 
 
 WAS A JOINT Founder with others of the Yoruba Mission in 1845, 
 AND Founder of the Niger Mission in 1857 ; 
 
 AND OF THE SELF-SUPPORTING NiGER DELTA PASTORATE IN ISIH ; 
 
 HE FELL ASLEEP IN JeSUS AT LAGOS, ON THE 31ST DECEMBER, 1891, 
 
 AGED ABOUT 89 YEARS. 
 
 " IVell done, thou good and faithful servant Enter thou into the 
 
 joy of thy Lord." — Matt. xxv. 21. 
 "Redeemed by His Blood." 
 
 It is scarcely necessary to sum up at any length 
 the striking characteristics of Bishop Crowther in 
 these closing words. Through the foregoing pages 
 it has been the sincere aim of the biographer to allow 
 this wonderful personality to reveal itself, not only 
 that those who knew him should, as from a phono- 
 graph, hear his voice again, but that a wider sphere 
 of thousands to whom he has been but an honoured
 
 38o IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 
 
 name should realize the manner of man he was, and 
 learn to respect and love him too. And from time 
 to time an endeavour has been made to point out traits 
 of his character which have been in his own words or 
 actions exemplified. And these marks of a noble 
 mind and a faithful and devout spirit will be confirmed 
 by all who had the privilege of knowing him. 
 Wherever he has visited and preached in England he 
 has left behind memories which any man might envy, 
 and it is needless to say that in his own land and 
 among his own people thousands rise up and call him 
 blessed as the father of his country. 
 
 It only remains to glean some particulars of his 
 home life, the man as he was at his fireside, or rather 
 to say, in such a cHmate, in his family circle, that 
 sacred idyll which we carry in our hearts till it ceases 
 to beat, the memory of which is precious beyond 
 price to him who hath, and he who hath it not is 
 poor indeed. By special request, therefore, the 
 Bishop's son, the Ven. Archdeacon Dandeson C. 
 Crowther, has kindly supphed some personal details 
 of his honoured father which will be scanned with 
 deepest interest. No member of the family is more 
 quahfied to render this great service to his father's 
 memory ; as we have seen, he was his secretary and 
 companion from his boyhood, shared his vicissitudes 
 and sufferings, drank deep of his spirit while trained 
 in his company for future service, and upon whom his 
 mantle rests, and the noble heritage of his work and 
 name. It is the simplest meed of praise to say of a 
 very modest man that he is a worthy successor of 
 a father so honoured and beloved.
 
 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 381 
 
 He tells us that in his home life his father was 
 conspicuously a consistent Christian. He was not 
 a great man abroad and insignificant at home. Those 
 who were visitors to the family, and knew the Bishop 
 in his private life, admired the reality and practical 
 value of his piety in this inner sphere. A European 
 writer who had no particular sympathy with African 
 superintendence said : " The late Bishop Crowther 
 was as remarkable and worthy a man as it would be 
 possible to find anywhere, combined with the most 
 transparent sincerity and earnestness." 
 
 We are told at home he was very strict in discipline 
 and in the observance of religious truths, which may 
 be said to be bordering on a puritanic method. No 
 one in the household missed services on Sundays, class, 
 prayer meetings, or any religious exercise within reach 
 on weekdays without giving an explanation for their 
 absence. One of his sons disobeyed his schoolmaster 
 one day, and accordingly received punishment. Re- 
 lying on sympathy at home, the son left the school 
 and came in with tears and bitter lamentations, 
 while the schoolmaster stood trembling, and awaiting 
 the consequences from the father, who was the minister 
 of the station. Finding out that the son had been 
 disobedient, the father (who was the future Bishop) 
 took him back himself to school, and after further 
 inquiry into the case, he ordered the schoolmaster 
 to give him a dozen strokes with the birch before all 
 the other pupils ; and after a lecture that his school- 
 master is to be obeyed in all things lawful and right, 
 he left the school. After this example the school-
 
 382 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 
 
 master had an easy time with his pupils, and the son 
 ever after learnt the grace of obedience. 
 
 And yet with all this good old-fashioned discipline 
 he was a bright and entertaining father among his 
 children. In the evenings they used to gather round 
 his knees to hear stories of his early days, of the life 
 he lived as a boy at Oshogun, stories of monkeys and 
 rats, and of adventures when he accompanied his 
 father to the towns. He sketched pictures of the 
 large farm they had then, and how he used to be up 
 early in the morning, go to the farm with his hoe, 
 and working hard would throw up his allotted heaps 
 of earth to plant with the yams, and then sit under 
 a tree enjoying the fun, and laughing at the slothful 
 companions still toiling hard under the heat of the 
 sun. Then he taught his children many Yoruba 
 proverbs, and those amusing fables with which their 
 language abounds. But nothing delighted them more 
 than to hear the story of how he put on his first shoes, 
 which he illustrated with actions which made them 
 clap their hands and shout with glee. Here are the 
 very words of the story ; it was of the time when he 
 was a pupil at coUege : 
 
 There were four of us who were promoted to the position 
 of monitors ; one called Attara was the cleverest among us. 
 This was at Fourah Bay College, under Mr. Haensel, a kind 
 German tutor at that time, between 1834 and 1840. To give 
 effect to our position we were allowed to wear shoes. Four 
 strong, stout shoes with very thick soles were procured and 
 given to us from the soldiers' barracks ; they were called 
 " Blucher shoes." On a Saturday afternoon we were called, 
 presented with a pair each, and told to put them on every 
 Sunday to church at St. George's Cathedral, a distance
 
 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 383 
 
 of about three miles. Never having had shoes on before, we 
 began practising in our dormitory that evening ; none of us 
 could move a step after lacing up on our feet these unwieldy 
 articles, and consequently we were objects of laughter by our 
 pupils. An idea struck me at once, which I put into execution. 
 Crawling to a corner of the room, I first knelt down, then hold- 
 ing on to the wall for support I stood up, and, still being sup- 
 ported by the wall, I stepped round the room many times, 
 the others following my example, till we were able to leave 
 the wall, stand alone, or move about without support. You 
 can well imagine what a burden this was to us, and after 
 losing sight of the college we sat on the grass, took off the 
 shoes, walked barefoot, and only put them on at the porch 
 of the church ; we did the same on returning to college. 
 After some months' practice we were able to move better in 
 them, but complained how they hurt our feet so and would 
 rather be without them. But after some months we invested 
 in the purchase of boots ourselves, and were careful to buy 
 those that made noise and creaked as we stepped with them, 
 to our great delight and the admiration of our pupils. 
 
 If ever a man had the grace of humility, not a 
 popular virtue, it was the Bishop. His son has sup- 
 plied some instances of a purely personal character, 
 which throw a fresh light upon a distinguished in- 
 cident of his life, a veritable peep behind the scenes. 
 The much-revered Rev. Henry Venn, the honorary 
 secretary of the Church Missionary Society in 1864, 
 found a hard task in persuading Crowther, for whom 
 he had such a personal regard, to accept the office of 
 Bishop. Without knowing why he was sent for 
 the latter left for England only a week after his re- 
 turn from the Niger, and so urgent was the instruction 
 that he should attend the General Committee on 
 a certain day that he had no time to get a new suit of 
 clothes made, and consequently entered the committee- 
 room in his Niger travelling dress — a heavy old shabby
 
 384 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 
 
 pilot coat with a row of large shining brass buttons in 
 front, which on his appearance set the whole of the 
 members into a roar of laughter. He could not make 
 out what was the cause of the fun, and it took him 
 some time before he knew that something was amiss 
 in his appearance, and apologized for it. At this 
 committee meeting, after asking him about the 
 welfare of the work on the Niger, he was told that he 
 had been sent for on a very important matter, which 
 the honorary secretary would communicate to him 
 in his office after the close of the meeting. At this 
 private interview he was told that it was the desire 
 of the committee to recommend him for the Bishopric. 
 He rose and said, " I am not worthy," and after a 
 pause continued, "See the European missionaries, as 
 Rev. H. Townsend and others, who have been labouring 
 for the cause of Africa these so many years. Why 
 should they be left, and I am asked to take up such 
 an office ? No, sir, I am their servant in the field ; 
 I cannot accept it." The Rev. Henry Venn quietly 
 replied, " True, but we saw them all ; we know and 
 appreciate their work, before asking you to take this 
 office." Still standing in deep humihty, Crowther 
 refused to comply with the request, and Mr. Venn 
 knelt down and prayed with him. Then he bade 
 him good-bye, told him to go to New Brompton 
 and spend a quiet time with his old friend, the Rev. 
 J. F. Schon. Here he stayed two days, and Mr. Schon 
 tried to show him by every argument in his power 
 the issue of usefulness to the Gospel and the Negro 
 race, if he would make up his mind to yield to Mr.
 
 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 385 
 
 Venn's wishes. Still unshaken, however, he returned 
 to Salisbury Square, and entering Mr. Venn's room, 
 the latter rose, made him sit down, put his hands on 
 his shoulders and said, " I hope you have brought me 
 good news to-day." Seeing no signs of good tidings, 
 he took hold of both his hands in his, and looking 
 straight into his eyes, he said solemnly : " Samuel 
 Adjai, my son, will you deny me my last wish asked 
 of you before I die ? " This broke Crowther down 
 altogether, and with tears in his eyes he answered, 
 " It is the Lord ; let Him do what seemeth Him 
 good." They both knelt down, and prayed together, 
 Mr. Venn sobbing with gratitude. This was the way 
 he was led to become a Bishop, and he never related 
 this story to his son without the deepest emotion. 
 
 Afterwards I was his secretary for a long time, and when 
 written to as " My Lord " my father used to tell me, in reply, 
 to put a postscript thus : " Please address me Right Reverend 
 Bishop, and never as My Lord." If there was only one 
 seat and a schoolmaster came in, he would rise and offer him 
 his chair. Once I asked my father why he did so, and his 
 reply was : " People, seeing me standing, will very soon go 
 and get me another seat, but will not be so quick, if ever they 
 did think of getting one for a schoolmaster." It may be 
 added that for Europeans of all conditions and under any 
 circumstances his humility and reverence were marked, as he 
 often said, in explanation of this : "I owe so much to their 
 fathers." 
 
 What shall be said of the unwearied patience of 
 the Bishop ? Some might think he bore things, 
 suffering long, almost to a fault. For the exercise 
 of this grace he had no lack of opportunity, and it 
 dignified and ennobled him. This is not one of those 
 2 c
 
 386 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 
 
 heroic virtues which enhst the commendation of 
 men, but it has more of the Divine hkeness than we 
 perhaps imagine. Patience makes no noise and is 
 not always wiping its sword with grim satisfaction ; 
 it is satisfied to be infinitely tender, quietly waiting, 
 its face flushed with the mercy of God. From this 
 good Bishop's life we take one or two personal memories 
 of this. The Rev. J. C. Taylor makes a note in his 
 journal, under date 23 December, 1861, of this in- 
 cident : 
 
 At the first opening of the Sunday-school at Akassa, Mr. 
 Crowther took the first class at the head of the table, and 
 with his venerable silver-bound spectacles on, a pointer in 
 his hands, pointing to the alphabet characters, calling out 
 loudly, "A, B, C, D," while the Akassans stood mute, not 
 knowing what to do. As soon as he could make them under- 
 stand the words for " repeat together," they at once broke 
 out in hearty laughter, one going out and another coming in, 
 and others coming against the table ; but there was this good 
 man, patiently waiting till the uproar ceases, and then com- 
 mencing again to point out A, B, C, D to them. His heart 
 was full of great and broad plans for the good of all Africa, 
 and yet did not count it waste of time to give his whole mind 
 to the simple work of teaching the alphabet to a rowdy 
 Sunday-school class. 
 
 One more instance must be given, this time by the 
 Rev. J. Boyle, his faithful friend and co-worker : 
 
 An instance of it is quite fresh in my mind. As far back 
 as the year 1874, when the New Calabar Mission was first 
 started on the old site, the late Rev. W. E. Carew was sta- 
 tioned there as a pioneer missionary with Mr. J. D. Garrick, 
 then a catechist, as his assistant, but now a clergyman in the 
 Sierra Leone pastorate. The Bishop has a by no means easy 
 task to deal with the king and chiefs in connection with the 
 work of the boarding school established there, especially with 
 regard to the payment of fees incurred for the maintenance
 
 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 387 
 
 of the pupils. On one occasion the Bishop determined to call 
 on the king and chiefs to speak on this particular subject 
 among thcni. After a long pull in the mission gig boat, the 
 town, which was nine miles from the station, was reached, 
 and, led by trusty guides, we wended our way to the king's 
 quarters. Although the king and chiefs were previously 
 notified of the intended visit, yet to our great surprise and 
 astonishment no one came out to meet the Bishop, but we 
 were simply directed to a verandah, where we had to wait for 
 a good while ere the king made his appearance. During the 
 interval of waiting my brother missionary and myself, fresh 
 from college, with very little or no experience of life in these 
 parts, did not fail to express our indignant feelings to the 
 Bishop that he should be so treated, although timely notice 
 of his visit had been given. The Bishop, instead of sharing 
 in our indignation, in a quiet, calm, and collected manner 
 said : " My young friends, you have to bear and forbear with 
 these people, because at best in some of their actions they are 
 nothing better than children. In dealing with them you have 
 to be armed with a threefold coat of mail called Patience." 
 
 Another leading trait in his character was his 
 sense of gratitude. He always taught his children 
 to say " Thank you " for the smallest favours, and 
 they had before them not only precept but example 
 in this respect. He always spoke to them about Mrs. 
 Weeks so gratefully because she taught him his first 
 letters. When he first came to their house he acted 
 as pantry-boy, and this lady one day saw him with 
 a paper in his hand trying to read, and he asked her 
 to teach him. So she promised if he would be quick 
 and good in washing up things and keeping his pantry 
 in order she would give him half an hour every evening 
 to teach him. How thankfully he recalled this little 
 service rendered to him ! After his consecration 
 at Canterbury, on his return to London, the first 
 people he called on were Mrs. Weeks and Admiral
 
 388 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 
 
 Leeke, who rescued him on the Myrmidon m 1822. 
 His gratitude to the Rev. Henry Venn was unbounded ; 
 he taught his children always to call him " The good 
 father of Africa." 
 
 Much might be added on the score of his unwearied 
 diligence. The Bishop had a grand capacity for work. 
 His pen was ever in his hand, on his voyages, in brief 
 delayings in his journeyings, in his brief home stayings, 
 during meetings, his writing never seemed to cease. 
 He never let his correspondence go behind, a virtue 
 which only the elect can dare to claim. Every letter, 
 however trivial, he answered forthwith and by his 
 own hand. Looking up from a pile of such letters 
 with which he was carefully and laboriously dealing 
 he said, " These sort of letters should be carefully 
 answered to lead the writers to a higher aim and nobler 
 thoughts." It seems incredible for one whose life 
 was so full and strenuous, but his mass of papers 
 evidence the fact that he copied with his own hand 
 not only the letters he wrote, but most of those he 
 received. So he toiled on, preaching, praying, working, 
 an apostolic life in modern times. 
 
 His work, Hke his name, remains an imperishable 
 monument of all his faith and labour. Whatever 
 achievement in the path of Christian enterprise lies 
 on the Niger, it will never be forgotten that he broke 
 the hard and fallow ground. It was his brave heart 
 and strong hand that cut the first path through the 
 dense undergrowth of superstition ; it was he, as a 
 wise master builder, who laid the foundations of the 
 work of God that was to be. Like Washington, he
 
 IN THE CRUCIBLE AND AT REST 389 
 
 was the father of his country ; but he did more, for 
 he proved in his own person the capacity of the African 
 to serve his own people and his God. His Hfe has 
 silenced many who made us to differ, and in the ad- 
 vancement and development of the native, not only 
 in spiritual but in civil responsibihties, he will be 
 remembered as the forerunner of a potential race 
 to be. Above all, this man walked with God, and 
 he was not, for He took him, full of years and honour, 
 laying down a sickle which in the great day of harvest 
 shall not fail to fill his arms with golden sheaves.
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 
 THE FIELD — TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 
 
 NO true life ends at the open grave. It may be 
 a fine fancy to hearken to the heart beating its 
 funeral march thither, but of the great and good this 
 is not, can never be, the case. The music of their 
 pulsing blood is victorious, with one clear note of faith 
 and hope in unison, a strain of rejoicing in that divine 
 and deathless energy which kindles other lives and 
 repeats itself in power, not only to-day but in the to- 
 morrow of the world. So we who mourn, turning 
 slowly homeward over the grass, brush away our tears, 
 feeling that we have not lost our heart's treasures ; 
 they are but sunbeams lifted higher, and we are 
 satisfied that whatever may be their celestial service 
 yonder, they have left something much more than a 
 memory here. Freed from the tense limitations of 
 mortal life, they can now serve a nobler sphere, and 
 their influence, in ever widening waves of blessing, 
 does more than when we could look into their faces 
 and listen to the voices we so miss to-day. 
 
 This is true of Bishop Crowther, who has left the 
 print of his character upon his people, and is, even 
 now, an inspiration in the work he left behind. 
 
 One of the most important incidents in the later 
 
 390
 
 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 391 
 
 years of his life was, as we have seen, the formation of 
 the Delta Pastorate Church. This ideal never faded 
 from the horizon of his hopes, through all those years 
 of patient and faithful toil ; his prayer was that he 
 might be permitted to see an African church, self- 
 supporting, and ministered to by a purely native 
 pastorate for the evangelization of West Africa. The 
 idea did not, of course, originate with him, the credit 
 for its origin is justly due to that wise and devoted 
 secretary of the Church Missionary Society, the Rev. 
 Henry Venn, who treated Crowther as his dear son in 
 the faith and greeted him as a happy augury of the 
 possible fulfilment of his heart's desire. In that fine 
 classic of missionary history, which preserves for all 
 time the interesting record of this great Society, Mr. 
 Eugene Stock truly remarks : 
 
 Preparation for the euthanasia of missions, that is, self- 
 supporting, self-governing, and self -extending native churches, 
 was perhaps the most important work of Mr. Venn's life. The 
 subject had never been touched when he took it up. There 
 is no sign in the first half of the last century that anyone, 
 either in the Church of England or outside of it, had given a 
 thought to the matter. Henry Venn led the way, and, with 
 no experience or precedents to guide him, gradually formed 
 conclusions and worked out plans, which have since been 
 adopted in substance by most missionary societies sufficiently 
 advanced to have Christian communities to think about. 
 
 An incident occurred in those early days which 
 accelerated this impulse in the mind of Mr. Venn. 
 A native merchant from Sierra Leone was taking tea 
 with him one day. The visitor had brought his wife 
 and children with him to England, and, apparently 
 regardless of expense, it was his intention to go up to
 
 392 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 
 
 Scotland, and even pay a visit to Paris before he and 
 his family turned homewards. Mr. Venn said to him, 
 " If you can afford to spend so much money in travel- 
 ling for your pleasure, why don't you contribute some- 
 thing for the support of your own clergy, instead of 
 leaving it all to us in England ? " The answer was 
 significant enough. " Mr. Venn, treat us like men, 
 and we shall behave like men ; but so long as you 
 treat us like children, we shall behave like children." 
 The result of that tea-table talk has been felt in the 
 missionary field in every land ever since. It is not 
 surprising that on these lines Crowther proved himself 
 an apt and most sympathetic pupil. So far back as 
 1864 we find him discussing with King William Pepple 
 an arrangement whereby he, as native leader, should 
 contribute a moiety of the expense of building mission 
 premises, and again and again Crowther reported in 
 his letters home the advantages and rightful claims of 
 his fellow-countrymen in this matter. 
 
 The crisis which so seriously dislocated the opera- 
 tions of the Niger Mission during the closing years of 
 the Bishop's work was, without doubt, an incentive, 
 prompting the native pastors and their converts to 
 make a specific and earnest appeal to him, as their 
 Chief Shepherd, to establish a self-supporting native 
 church on the Delta. There was, however, no 
 anxiety on their part to sever themselves from the 
 doctrines and discipline of the Church of England. 
 This long-anticipated stage was received with a little 
 natural regret on the part of the authorities of the 
 Church Missionary Society that the suggestion should
 
 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 393 
 
 come at a time when some misunderstanding was felt 
 on the Niger. The Bishop had strongly supported the 
 appeal, and on a matter of so much moment the 
 counsel of the Archbishop of Canterbury was asked, 
 and in a most fatherly and sympathetic spirit given. 
 
 It was a great day of rejoicing at Bonny when, on 
 29 April, 1892, the Delta Pastorate was inaugurated 
 with special services of thanksgiving at St. Stephen's 
 Cathedral and St. Clement's, the sermons being 
 preached by the Rev. J. Boyle and Archdeacon D. C. 
 Crowther. The latter spoke hopefully of the future 
 and said : 
 
 I am feeling more and more convinced that God wishes in 
 these latter days to extend the name and knowledge of His 
 beloved Son by simple, inexpensive means, using local instru- 
 ments to carry it into the interior, and by the formation of 
 this pastorate the people make the religion their own, and are 
 already feeling the responsibility of taking the Gospel with 
 them everywhere they go, and preach it to their countrymen 
 in the interior, where we, with our hamperings, cannot so 
 easily get to. It may be said that they are weak, yet they 
 act as pioneers for us, and do impart the good instruction 
 they receive, preparing the minds of the people for the time 
 when missionaries (I trust steady, godly young men from our 
 churches) will be located among them. This is our aim, and 
 may God grant it may come to pass. 
 
 It was not, however, until the year 1896, when, after 
 mutual conference in London and Lagos, that a formal 
 constitution was drawn up for the self-government of 
 the work in the Delta, and signed by all parties, that 
 the Niger Delta Pastorate Church became an accom- 
 plished fact. This set forth its ecclesiastical basis as a 
 branch of the Church of England, and provided for its 
 administration as a self-supporting organization by
 
 394 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 
 
 Church Councils and Committees under the jurisdic- 
 tion of a Bishop. Such a happy result was largely due 
 to the patient and loving influence of the late Bishop 
 Hill and of the present Bishop Tug well, with the co- 
 operation of Archdeacon D. C. Crowther, the present 
 Bishop James Johnson, and other representatives of 
 the native ministry. Since then the work has pro- 
 gressed, new churches have been built, and boarding 
 schools established for boys and girls. 
 
 One of the needs of the Delta Pastorate is trained 
 natives of that district to undertake the pastoral and 
 evangelizing work among the heathen in the hinter- 
 land. Hitherto it has been dependent upon Sierra 
 Leone or the Gold Coast for its ministerial material, 
 and at the present time a special effort is being made 
 to establish a training institution or college for 
 native students in the service of God. It is in- 
 tended very appropriately to call this a memorial 
 to the late Bishop Crowther. Nothing could be more 
 appropriate to his memory or more in accordance 
 with his own wishes if he could be consulted. Arch- 
 deacon Crowther has already visited England to urge 
 the claims of this project upon the churches at home. 
 When this is done men will go from its doors, not 
 only with a zeal for extending the blessings of Christi- 
 anity to the tribes of heathen to which it is as yet 
 a stranger, but by proper qualification they will be 
 able to exercise a wise development of the churches 
 already established in the Delta Pastorate. The 
 Church is from time to time stimulated by seasons 
 of genuine revival, when, as in the Okrika Church,
 
 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 395 
 
 in 1906, there is a quickening of spiritual life, which 
 becomes a permanent blessing. There is a bright 
 outlook in the mission districts of the Delta, and 
 there is much need for more translation work. The 
 claims of the coming generation are not forgotten, 
 and special interest attaches to the important work 
 among young native girls undertaken by Mrs. 
 Crowther, the wife of the Archdeacon. In one of the 
 villages in the Ora district, in the care of a native 
 evangelist, a recent report stated that the greater 
 number of the young people were turning towards 
 Christianity, and some have learnt to read the Bible 
 in the Yoruba language. From time to time some of 
 the converts from Opobo make excursions into the 
 interior to carry the Gospel and establish outposts 
 among the heathen, who are still living in dense dark- 
 ness and superstition. The Delta Pastorate Church 
 has a great work before it, and many difficulties to 
 overcome ; but it is going forward, wisely directed by 
 its leaders, and trusting in God for ultimate success 
 and blessing. 
 
 Other missions, which mostly owe their origin to 
 the faith and work of Bishop Crowther, are the Yoruba 
 Mission, the Niger Mission, which has of recent years 
 been divided into Northern and Southern divisions, 
 comprising the work of the Church Missionary Society 
 in Nigeria. In many parts self-supporting, with African 
 pastors, under the direction of European missionaries, 
 having the oversight of the churches, with district 
 councils for local management. 
 
 Wherever the native missionaries go the old chiefs
 
 396 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 
 
 repeat the common observation that they are too old to 
 give up their rehgion, even if their gods are but dumb 
 idols ; the coming generation may perhaps take with 
 profit the Christian religion. But in other instances 
 those who came under the power of the Gospel were 
 not afraid of going all the way in putting away their 
 idols. At a place called Abo Fowole, in the neighbour- 
 hood of Ibadan, the missionary gives a case in point, 
 where an old Shango worshipper, accepting Christianity, 
 said he would destroy his gods. He sent his children 
 to bring them out, but they dared not venture, so he 
 went into the idol house himself and brought them to 
 the missionary — a calabash full of innocent-looking 
 stones, which were supposed to be thunderbolts, also 
 a curious thing like a bowler hat, with a rim top and 
 bottom, which was his odufa to hold his if a nuts and 
 charms. Then he went to the village and began to 
 clear away the devil stones, but a woman remonstrated, 
 as she said one of the devils belonged to her husband. 
 But the old man straightway assured her that if her 
 man wanted a devil he must place it somewhere else, 
 for he was master of this compound, and would have 
 no more of that rubbish there. 
 
 Every missionary has to contend with the secret 
 societies which are such a terror to the people. There 
 is a fraternity among the heathen priests called Oqu- 
 negba, which is mainly responsible for many of the 
 religious observances, and arranges the ordeal of 
 poison. Another is the Ijamo, about which one of 
 the missionaries says : " This council of aged senators 
 meets every nine days, but all their agenda and pro-
 
 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 397 
 
 ceedings are kept secret. They are looked upon as 
 the conservators of their country's original integrity. 
 All laws made by them are implicitly obeyed through- 
 out the country, however objectionable or ruinous is 
 their effect upon the nation. Many of the frightful 
 abominations, stamped out of other countries by 
 British influences, are still practised among the Ijamos, 
 especially in connection with the burial of their mem- 
 bers. All responsible chiefs of the land, to become 
 accredited, must join the famous Ijamo fraternity as 
 members." 
 
 The Southern division of the Niger mission before 
 mentioned deals chiefly with the Ibo and the Ijo 
 tribes. Three-fourths of the whole Protectorate, in- 
 cluding Yoruba, speak the tongue of the first-men- 
 tioned people. In 1857 Crowther opened a station at 
 Onitsha, and its jubilee has been recently celebrated 
 under the very tamarisk tree which he planted. 
 Great changes have taken place since he came as 
 pioneer there on his journeys up the Niger. It is 
 now a populous town, and the trading factories 
 are a feature of its river front. An excellent work 
 is being done amongst the native girls by training 
 schools and homes, but it is difficult sometimes 
 to get them in, as they are betrothed at an early 
 age to men for a monetary consideration. And a 
 child of ten will give as a reason for not coming 
 to school that her husband objects ! Heathenism 
 is never far away. A few miles from Onitsha it 
 is still possible to find a sick man with a large 
 idol over his head, its feet tied, and a bandage over
 
 398 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 
 
 its mouth to prevent it from killing him. At Asaba, 
 on the other side of the Niger, there is a useful 
 station doing good work, although having in the 
 past to struggle against many difficulties. At the 
 back of this lies the Benin country, which stretches 
 across to the Yoruba district, a very dark land, with a 
 people still joined to their idols. The native pastor at 
 Idumuje Ugboko speaks hopefully of the work among 
 the young, but laments that many of the old men give 
 up going to church when they find it involves loss. 
 In this district the native probationers find a useful 
 sphere of work. 
 
 The course of the Niger is partly through the Ibo 
 country, and the lower portion of this comprises the 
 Delta Pastorate sphere of action ; but the interior has 
 not yet been occupied for missionary work. It is 
 perhaps the most interesting portion of Southern 
 Nigeria. At one time, too, it was well populated, but the 
 ravages of the slave trade have swept away many of 
 its people and reduced its busy towns to small and 
 insignificant villages. For a long time a portion of 
 this country, the Bende district, was as inaccessible 
 to Europeans as Tibet, the motive being possibly lest 
 the slave trade, its staple industry, should be inter- 
 fered with, and also to preserve the fearful power and 
 authority of the Aro-Chuku or Long Juju, at whose 
 shrine thousands of deluded human victims had been 
 sacrificed. At last the enormity of this wickedness 
 reached its limit, and the British Government sent 
 an expedition into the country and avenged the in- 
 human slaughter of eight hundred women and children
 
 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 399 
 
 by Abams and Arons. Then followed the destruc- 
 tion of this horrid shrine, with its cave of divination 
 and pools of sacred fish. And when Bishop James 
 Johnson visited the place in 1903 he found little left 
 but the dense bush at the foot of a declivity to mark 
 the spot where for generations human life had been 
 wantonly sacrificed. So great was this dread of a 
 bloodthirsty divinity that even as far as Benin and 
 Dahomey reverence was duly paid to it. Its priests, 
 a set of cruel cut-throats, were promptly deported by 
 Government to Calabar. So here again in this fine 
 country the oft-quoted line is true, and " only man is 
 vile." There is plenty of water, the villages nestle 
 under the graceful branches of the palm and banana 
 trees, the cocoanut palms offering everywhere an 
 abundance of refreshment ; and when the rainy season 
 is over sweet water can be obtained by tapping the 
 tree known in Yoruba as aga. The people are wild 
 and savage ; their dress a handkerchief cloth, the 
 boys and girls nothing at all ; the women painting 
 the skin of each other's bodies with strange devices ; 
 and both sexes are fond of tattooing their foreheads. 
 In one respect amongst many there is urgent need of 
 the uplifting power of Christianity, for the men are 
 lazy drones, quite content to see the women do all the 
 work. Where nature provides the daily commissariat 
 free of charge or exertion, the menkind of the nation 
 are all of the unemployed class, and like some of their 
 brethren elsewhere of whiter complexions, they prefer 
 to remain so, and it is said that often the British 
 Government have considerable difficulty to engage 
 them for service as porters.
 
 400 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 
 
 One of their curious customs is to live in compounds, 
 comprising households of from fifty to five hundred 
 persons, relatives and domestic slaves. Within these 
 walls there is some idea of order, a chief, when neces- 
 sary assisted by sub-chiefs, acting as authority, and 
 there is always a reception-room set apart for visitors, 
 and a club-house garnished with as much ornamenta- 
 tion as the means or fancy will allow, where the male 
 members of the community assemble from time to 
 time to discuss and perhaps quarrel over their various 
 family and national affairs. For these people are too 
 cruel in their customs to keep anything like peace 
 within their borders. They are fond of a fight, and 
 British officers who have had to face them say that 
 they never seem to know when they are beaten. In 
 spite of our Protectorate there is no doubt that canni- 
 balism still prevails in many districts. It is part of 
 their war usage. They consider their triumph over 
 their enemies is only complete when they have eaten 
 them. They glory in their power to take human hfe, 
 and hang up the skulls of their victims as trophies of 
 honour. Here the practice of twin infanticide pre- 
 vails to a frightful degree. Not only are such un- 
 happy Httle ones killed outright, but the mother for 
 the offence is driven away, never allowed to visit a 
 market, or walk a road used by the pubhc. Bishop 
 James Johnson when in this district paid a visit to one 
 of the hamlets of such miserable women in the Azurim 
 neighbourhood and found five poor creatures who had 
 been twin mothers, and had suffered banishment with 
 the loss of their little ones. He tells us a very pathetic
 
 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 401 
 
 story : " There was an old and very grey-headed 
 woman among them. She did not remember how 
 long she had lived in that hamlet, but she knew that 
 she was a young twin mother when she was driven 
 away from her home and sent there, and that she had 
 lived there all her life since under these conditions. 
 They were all very sad. Tears fell from the eyes of 
 one of them as I endeavoured to comfort them in their 
 disconsolate state and hold out to them some hope of 
 a change for the better by and by, especially as the 
 country was gradually coming under active British 
 protection. This seemed to them impossible, and 
 their looks asked the question despairingly, " Will 
 this ever be ? " 
 
 There is only space left to record some features of 
 the religious belief of these people, for after the fashion 
 of the heathen they form a combination of cruelty and 
 piety. The Bishop already quoted has taken pains 
 to ascertain in what direction and how far their native 
 worship extends. They have a clear idea of a Supreme 
 Being, to Whom all their prayers are directed, and to 
 Whom, looking towards the sky, they offer their 
 sacrifices with open hands. His name is " Chineke," 
 from Chi, the Supreme Being, and eke, a market day, 
 and neke, to divide ; that is, the Great Being Who 
 divides unto us our lots in life. There are, of course, 
 subordinate divinities, as " Njoku," the god of the 
 yams, and many evil spirits who have to be conciliated. 
 It is remarkable that of this great Deity they have no 
 image or idol. The Bishop says : " When, as I 
 noticed at the entrance of one of their villages a large
 
 402 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 
 
 collection of offerings, some on the ground, others on 
 erections, and a very young chicken suspended alive 
 on a rope that bound a small tree to another at some 
 distance from it, I asked some of the villagers what 
 their object of worship was, and to whom these offer- 
 ings were made, they replied, with evident surprise 
 at the question, ' Whom should we worship but the 
 Being Who has made us, and Who owns the world ? ' 
 striking the earth with the palms of their hands out 
 of reverence for the great Being, and pointing their 
 fingers to the sky as the place of his special residence." 
 It only remains to add that these people believe in a 
 future state of blessedness, called " Eligwe," and 
 another of misery for the wicked. Under these 
 circumstances it seems obvious that with all their 
 wickedness they are not far from a true conception of 
 God, and therefore the missionary has something to 
 work on when he takes to them the illuminating and 
 saving truths of Christianity. It is fifty years since 
 Bishop Crowther first preached the Gospel to the Ibos, 
 and left Taylor at Onitsha to translate the Bible and 
 instruct the converts. 
 
 Now there are thirty stations near, eight churches 
 are included in the Ibo Pastorate, supporting their 
 own ministers, while three or four churches have their 
 " own missionary " to the regions beyond. Figures 
 are not always the best estimate of success, but in 
 this comparison of past and present we note that 
 37 native pastors are preaching in the Ibo language, 
 that 1700 are professed Christians, and 438 are 
 regular communicants ; last, not least, in the 28
 
 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 403 
 
 schools about 2000 scholars are being trained and 
 taught for the life present and the life to come. In 
 the opinion of a thoughtful C.M.S. missionary, to 
 whom we are indebted for much valuable data on this 
 subject, while these results are very encouraging, there 
 is much still to be done among the Ibos, and he does 
 not fear difficulties from those quarters and for those 
 reasons commonly adduced. His judgment is of 
 service as that of an eye-witness, and deserves a per- 
 manent record in these pages. 
 
 As regards the future of the Gospel (he says) amongst these 
 interesting people we have good reason to believe that the 
 time is ripe for widespread sowing, in the strong hopeful 
 expectation of an abundant harvest speedily. I do not think 
 it is polygamy or the drink question, mighty evils though they 
 be, that hinders the growth, nor do I think it is the influx 
 of Mohammedanism and the domestic slavery so closely 
 associated with it which are given as reasons why Christianity 
 makes headway so slowly. Still less would I accept the reason 
 of slow progress given that Christianity is unsuitable for the 
 needs of the African as affected by the physical, social, and 
 climatic conditions of his mind and environment. Certainly 
 none of these reasons apply to the Ibos. Moreover, all these 
 theories limit the ef&cacy of the Gospel and the healing and 
 recreative power of Jesus Christ, whereas we have seen with 
 our eyes and can testify that the Gospel is " the power of God 
 unto salvation " amongst these people. Rather is the slow 
 rate of expansion due to paucity of workers. It must always 
 be remembered that one-third of the European staff are 
 always on furlough or sick leave, and thus the continuity of 
 the work is sadly interrupted. From the results of the last 
 ten years or so one is almost prepared to say that given the 
 same number of workers actually in the field, with the same 
 continuity of service we should see almost as great results on 
 the Lower Niger as we see in Uganda, provided, of course, 
 that there be earnest and unceasing prayer " that the same 
 Spirit be outpoured in all abundance, operating to the con- 
 version of the heathen, to be followed by real consecrative and 
 enthusiastic service."
 
 404 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 
 
 As regards Northern Nigeria the work has many 
 difficulties, but the missionaries are valiantly holding on. 
 It would have gladdened the heart of the old Bishop 
 to have seen the celebration last year of the fifth year of 
 the Lokoja Native Pastorate Church, and to note the 
 efforts at Bida and elsewhere being made to teach the 
 boys. At Mokwa, the last new station of the Nupe 
 country, the Sunday services are well attended, and 
 the Sunday-school is making slow but sure progress. 
 Household slavery is not yet abolished in Northern 
 Nigeria, and this is a hindrance to the work. But the 
 greatest difficulty is Mohammedanism, and this pre- 
 vents progress among the Hausas, who are so inteUi- 
 gent. This fine race, superior in many respects to the 
 tribes inhabiting other parts of Nigeria, and capable 
 of so much discipline — making excellent soldiers 
 and policemen — are still a difficult and disappointing 
 ground for Christian work. This is chiefly owing to 
 the power of Islam, and even medical agency, which 
 rarely fails to find some appreciation on the part of 
 the natives, cannot get a constituency here. The 
 natives are quite satisfied with the prescriptions 
 given by their mallams, consisting of strips of parch- 
 ment with words from the Koran, as charms when 
 they are taken sick. They also cling tenaciously to 
 primitive and old-fashioned ideas, and it is amazing 
 to think that they will deHberately refuse the skill of 
 trained Christian doctors, preferring to have their 
 teeth drawn by the village blacksmith with the aid 
 of red-hot skewers, and have great faith in the native 
 barbers, who bleed or tattoo their patients according
 
 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 405 
 
 to their choice and means of payment. It must be 
 admitted that the results of the work in Northern 
 Nigeria are disappointing. What is to be done in this 
 fine country, among a people of such capacity and 
 promise, is a problem not to be solved without patient 
 and persevering effort. One statement made by a 
 missionary as to the religious position at Kutigi and 
 Mokwa, within easy reach of Bida, is worth quoting. 
 These natives, like many others, possess a very mixed 
 religion of Mohammedanism and heathenism, which can 
 hardly be a credit to the former, with its pretensions 
 to elevating the heathen. " The people," he says, 
 "with few exceptions are farmers, and although all 
 take part in Mohammedan rites and festivals, fully 
 one-third join in heathen feasts. About one-third 
 regularly go through the Mohammedan daily prayers, 
 the remainder doing nothing except at festival seasons, 
 when they join in with whatever is going on, either 
 heathen or otherwise ; they are quite willing to join 
 in our Christian rejoicings also. Beer and palm wine 
 drinking are indulged in to excess by all at times, the 
 latter by the Mohammedans." 
 
 Another, writing from Bida, says : " The work 
 among these Mohammedans is terribly difficult ; there 
 is no open opposition, no argument, nothing but sheer 
 indifference." It is something much more in the Ijebu 
 country behind Lagos, as the missionary tells us " there 
 have not been for some years past such accessions from 
 heathenism to Christianity as formerly, because the 
 people all flock to Mohammedanism, which has become 
 the popular and predominant religion." A native
 
 4o6 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 
 
 pastor draws attention to the advance of Islam from 
 the north with some concern. " The force gathers," 
 he says, " it behoves us to be on the watch that we 
 may keep the foe at bay." A distinguished observer, 
 conversant with Nigeria past and present, is of opinion 
 that Islam and not heathenism is the force to be 
 reckoned with by the missionaries in that country. 
 Missionaries returning to their old fields of labour 
 in Nigeria are startled by the rapid increase of the 
 religion of the False Prophet, not only in the interior, 
 but at the ports on the coastline. 
 
 *' The Propaganda of Islam " was one of the subjects 
 discussed at the great Pan-Anglican Conference held 
 in London in 1908. And it has been elsewhere stated 
 that unless some special effort is made to repel this quiet 
 but sweeping attack of the emissaries of Islam, the 
 native conscience and loyalty will be almost entirely 
 captured by the Crescent instead of the Cross. What 
 shall we say then of this difficulty of the Mohammedan 
 progress among the heathen ? It goes without say- 
 ing that the conquest of the heathen by Christianity 
 is by no means achieved in this country. After all 
 the labours of weary and incessant years, it must be 
 admitted that only the fringe of the dark multitude of 
 these natives has been touched or even brought into 
 earshot of the merciful tidings of salvation. The 
 wheels of the chariot move slowly, the ground is heavy 
 and obstructive, and no true missionary boasts of easy 
 progress. Milhons in Nigeria know less of the Cross 
 than of the British flag. As a nation we govern them 
 by a rule of which the majority have never heard.
 
 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 407 
 
 As a Church we have brought the hght of Divine Uberty 
 here and there, but for the great hinterland of super- 
 stition we have done little more than pray. The 
 field, from a purely pagan point of view, is ripening 
 unto the harvest. 
 
 On the other hand, especially as regards Northern 
 Nigeria, it is Islam blocks the way. Comparatively 
 speaking there is little improvement in the position 
 during recent years. Many things have happened 
 since the days of Bishop Crowther, and the difficulty 
 of dealing with the Mohammedans is even more acute 
 than when he, and other pioneers, worked so zealously 
 and with such patience for their welfare. He may 
 not have done much, but he succeeded at any rate in 
 establishing an entente cordiale with the royal and 
 religious leaders of Islam, who were willing to listen 
 to the Arabic Bible, and even discuss the great truths 
 of Christianity without provocation. His aim, as we 
 have seen, was to win their respect and attention, and 
 then lead them through Holy Scripture and public 
 services to the acceptance of the truth. He proposed 
 no weak compromises, he gave no quarter to polygamy 
 and other practices, and recognized to his native clergy 
 the immense difficulty of success. 
 
 In the past history of the work on the Niger, in spite 
 of many disadvantages, there was evidently a more 
 wilHng spirit on the part of the Moslems to Hsten to 
 the missionary than to-day. Conferences were held, 
 at which a very serious spirit of inquiry was mani- 
 fested. One instance of this may be recalled at this 
 point. At Lokoja a Christian missionary was sitting
 
 4o8 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 
 
 in the midst of a number of Moslems, discussing very 
 earnestly one afternoon the insufficiency of the Koran 
 as compared with the Bible. The missionary laid 
 down his Arabic Bible and proceeded to say : 
 
 Well, if what we have told you is the law of God, which 
 He says must be fulfilled if we are to enter heaven, what are 
 you going to do, you who do not profess to have kept the 
 laws of heaven ? " Ah ! we trust in the mercy of God." 
 Not so. You call it His mercy, but you are really trusting to 
 the untruthfulness of God. You are hoping that at the Judg- 
 ment Day God will rise up before all men and say : " O men, 
 I have indeed made a mistake. I said by the mouth of My 
 prophets that it was absolutely necessary that all who should 
 enter My home should keep certain laws, should render a 
 certain amount of service to Me and their fellow-men. I find 
 now that My law was too strict. I find that many persons 
 who refused to obey it are nevertheless very good people to 
 put into heaven. So I take away My law ; I made a mistake 
 in making it at the first." So you hope God will say. 
 
 The Yorubas were silent for a moment, and the Hausas 
 pressed them for an answer, and seemed somewhat impressed 
 at no answer being forthcoming. Their leader then said : 
 " Let all keep silence. I have a weighty question to ask. If 
 all the prophets, as you have told, need that the Messiah 
 should do their service for them and should take their punish- 
 ment, what is to be done for us who are worthless to God as 
 the grass of the field ? " 
 
 The missionary answered : 
 
 " Was not the slaying of the Messiah a great enough thing 
 to teach all heaven and earth how God hates sin ? Would 
 your being destroyed teach men any more about the wicked- 
 ness of sin than they know already, when they have heard 
 that the Great Messiah died for it ? His death covers the past ; 
 the road to heaven is now open to you too." 
 
 The Hausa paused, for he was thinking very solemnly 
 upon the matter, and then, looking up, he quietly said : 
 
 " Now, I want a straight answer to a straight question. 
 The Messiah has done all this for men. What can we do to 
 become saved ? " 
 
 This was the missionary's opportunity, and with a full 
 heart he answered :
 
 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 409 
 
 " Trust yourself to Him, become His people, go down to 
 the town ; tell them you thank God for the Messiah who has 
 opened heaven to you, that they too must submit to Him and 
 become His people." 
 
 All was silence for a few moments, the Mohammedans were 
 slowly weighing these words in the balance. Presently their 
 leading speaker exclaimed : 
 
 " Now, tell where do these two roads of the Messiah and 
 Mohammed meet ? " 
 
 " They never, never meet. If one leads into the light, it 
 is equally certain the other leads to darkness." 
 
 All rose together, and, leading the missionary to the corner 
 of the verandah, whence a straight road led to the town, the 
 chief Hausa said : 
 
 " We love you for the words you tell us ; it is as though 
 you stood here on a height and saw the straight road, and 
 watched all of us wandering in the long grass on either side 
 and you shout to us, saying : ' Turn back ! turn back ! You 
 are straying from the path ; there it is leading straight to the 
 town ! ' Thus you are doing to us every day." 
 
 This conversation exhibits the mental attitude of 
 both teacher and taught, and one can readily join in 
 the expressed desire of the missionary at the close 
 of the interview : " God grant that these first early 
 signs of hope may quickly ripen into believing and 
 being baptized, which we tell them is an essential 
 part of our commission." 
 
 The issue is of perennial interest, and perhaps 
 deserves even more attention to-day than it obtains 
 in missionary circles. One might safely affirm that 
 in any meeting it is easier to excite enthusiasm over 
 a naked savage with his idol and his fetish than the 
 white-robed Moslem with his praying carpet. It may 
 be easily urged that the latter is obviously more en- 
 lightened than the former, but it is equally true that 
 the creed of Islam is insufficient and unsatisfactory,
 
 410 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 
 
 and is, moreover, the sworn enemy of Christianity. 
 Of course it has its able apologists among those who 
 argue that one religion is as good as another, and that 
 this for practical purposes is better, and who are also 
 anxious to protect it from interference on grounds of 
 political expediency. 
 
 In one particular at least, as regards Nigeria, Islam 
 has not the advantage she once possessed in making 
 converts — the weapon of force can no longer be used. 
 Under the British flag full liberty is allowed for any 
 rehgion which does not menace the laws of order and 
 humanity. Therefore no tyranny of cruel compulsion 
 or ill treatment in retaliation or punishment is per- 
 mitted. It is the fashion in some quarters to-day to 
 conveniently forget that the propagation of Islam 
 has been a reign of terror, but the history of this fate- 
 ful creed is the story of ruthless bloodshed, extermina- 
 tion and conversion by the scimitar. Even in the 
 annals of West African mission work we have adduced 
 evidence enough of persecution endured to the death 
 by Christian natives from the hands of their Moham- 
 medan masters. It is unnecessary to go further back 
 to record the unparalleled atrocities which mark the 
 subjugation of the Hausa race by the fanatical jehads 
 of the Fulanis. 
 
 All this state of things is over now, and the natives 
 walk no longer in fear of Mohammedans, although, 
 where Christianity has not revealed something better, 
 they still regard them as persons of superior know- 
 ledge, which is true. But though the sword is sheathed 
 and cannot reap its thousands as of old, Islam is not
 
 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 411 
 
 neglecting the milder method of persuasion. Among 
 the sects of Islam that of the Quadriyah order of 
 missionaries holds a very important place. It was 
 founded in the eleventh century, and introduced into 
 West Africa as far back as the fifteenth century. 
 They might be termed the Jesuits of Islam. It is 
 their practice to come as peaceful strangers to pagan 
 towns and villages, to gain influence, render themselves 
 of service as possessing education, and make a special 
 point of securing the favour of the king, chief, or any 
 ruling authority. Missionaries refer to these visits to- 
 day, and indicate how from the northern districts 
 streams of Moslem influence are quietly but surely 
 affecting the natives of the Delta. They describe how 
 at first the Moslem missionary begins by marking his 
 prayer place with stones, and later on replaces these 
 with strips of split bamboo. But the best description 
 of one of these missionaries is given in Mr. Morel's 
 valuable work, " Affairs of West Africa," which we 
 venture to quote on this page. He states that Dr. 
 Blyden told him the story when relating how one of 
 the large pagan towns was proselytized to Moham- 
 medanism. 
 
 On a certain day the inhabitants of the town observed a 
 man, black like themselves, but clad in a white garment, 
 advancing down the main street. Suddenly the stranger 
 prostrated himself and prayed to Allah. The natives stoned 
 him and he departed. In a little while he returned and 
 prostrated himself as before. This time he was not stoned, 
 but the men gathered about him with mockery and reviling. 
 The men spat upon him and the women hurled insults and 
 abuse. His prayer ended, the stranger went away in silence, 
 grave and austere, seemingly oblivious to his unsympathetic 
 surroundings. For a space he did not renew his visit, and
 
 412 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 
 
 in the interval the people began to regret their rudeness. 
 The demeanour of the stranger under trying circumstances 
 had gained their respect. A third time he came, and with 
 him two boys, also clothed in white garments. Together they 
 knelt and offered prayer. The natives watched and forbore 
 to jeer. At the conclusion of the prayer a woman came 
 timidly forward and pushed her young son towards the holy 
 man, then as rapidly retreated. The Moslem rose, took the 
 boy by the hand, and, followed by his acolytes, left the village 
 in silence as before. When he came again he was accom- 
 panied by three boys, two of them those who had been with 
 him before, the third the woman's son, clad like the rest. All 
 four fell upon their knees, the holy man reciting the prayer in 
 a voice that spoke of triumph and success. He never left 
 the town again, for the people crowded round him, beseeching 
 him to teach their children. In a short time the entire popula- 
 tion of that town, which for three centuries had beaten back 
 the assaults of would-be Moslem converters by the sword, had 
 voluntarily embraced Islam ! 
 
 It has been said in explanation of the easy conquest 
 of such a people by Islam that it must be borne in 
 mind that the natives of the lower parts of Nigeria 
 follow Animism as their religion, and that they have 
 therefore a strong inclination of mind towards any 
 teaching which deals with spiritual and supernatural 
 affairs. The appearance of this holy man in their 
 midst, although in the first instance greeted with 
 ridicule and even contempt, soon affects them as they 
 hear him praying to his God, one who seems to have 
 a knowledge of the suppliant, which their deities do 
 not pretend to possess, and who is evidently brought 
 into personal relation with this kneeling man in white 
 raiment. This grows upon them, their imagination is 
 excited, they are hungry for more knowledge, and 
 eventually are captivated by a religion which they 
 wiUingly accept in preference to their own.
 
 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 413 
 
 There is no need to disguise the serious character 
 of such a wholesale success of Islam as in the case 
 mentioned, or to doubt that this is occurring in many 
 parts of Nigeria, and will, if not checked, in time absorb 
 the greater part of the thirty or forty millions of natives 
 under the British rule. This prospect is based not 
 only upon the statements of writers who are avowedly 
 friendly to the Moslem creed, but from independent 
 testimony, and the invaluable evidence of the mission- 
 aries themselves. If this be so, are we prepared to 
 accept the responsibility of the conversion of Nigeria 
 to this religion under our own eyes ? Stripped of its 
 romance, the glamour which veils so much in Oriental 
 life and story, dare we hand over these missions to a 
 creed which is condemned by the judgment of history 
 and violently opposed to the most sacred principles 
 of the Christian faith ? Is it likely to elevate the 
 negro and develop him morally, intellectually, and 
 spiritually, as Christianity can do ? Is it not true, as 
 Wuttke has affirmed in his system of ethics, " Islam 
 is to be regarded as an attempt of heathenism to main- 
 tain itself erect under an outward monotheistic form 
 against Christianity " ? 
 
 In fact this is the practical issue, and it must be 
 tested by the evidence of history and present-day 
 experience. What is commonly advanced as argu- 
 ments in favour of Islam within West African borders ? 
 
 It is declared to be a vital, living, and progressive 
 force, in contradiction of that famous passage in 
 Palgrave's " Arabia," which affirms : " Islamism is 
 in itself stationary, and was framed thus to remain ;
 
 414 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 
 
 sterile like its god, lifeless like its first principle in all 
 that constitutes life — for life is love, participation and 
 progress, and of these the Coranic deity has none." 
 It claims to have imparted to the negro " an energy, 
 a dignity and self-respect which is all too rarely found 
 in their pagan or their Christian countrymen." We 
 are told that it is a valuable asset in the political settle- 
 ment of Nigeria, everywhere knitting the conquerors 
 and the conquered into an harmonious whole, and 
 that contrary to reputation it encourages instruction 
 and even promotes chastity. A great point is made 
 of the prohibition of strong drink and encouragement 
 of personal cleanliness, hospitality, and the inculcation 
 of chastity as one of the Jiighest virtues. It is even 
 affirmed that it is the teaching of Islam develops in the 
 African character that rather neglected grace of in- 
 dustry, and creates a thirst for knowledge. If this 
 could be safely regarded as a fair and impartial picture 
 of the possibilities and promise of Islam, then it is a 
 veritable evangel for the West African people. One 
 might even then think there would be some little 
 ground for the contention that Mohammedanism is a 
 benefit to Africa, and that, compared with Christianity, 
 she has done more for the well-being of that land. 
 
 But is this so ? What is the testimony of those 
 on the spot to-day ? We are told that the religious 
 standard of the followers of Islam is not a very high 
 one, and from a point of intelligence it is not much in 
 advance of the heathen. And this is a very moderate 
 statement of the case. It has no mosques south of the 
 Niger-Binue Confluence. There seems to be no place
 
 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 415 
 
 of worship, and the utmost is the place of prayer marked 
 out, as we have seen, by stones and pegs of split 
 bamboo. The majority of these easily enclosed con- 
 verts to the Prophet's fold are perfectly satisfied to 
 follow the dictates of the mallams ; they do not exer- 
 cise their reasoning faculties, or are, indeed, asked so 
 to do, and the religion they have taken over largely 
 consists of repeating the Arabic prayers at the ap- 
 pointed hours. They do not understand. They can- 
 not read or write. The Koran to them is a sealed 
 book, except so far as it is represented by the verses 
 they have been taught to commit to memory, or the 
 scraps which are written on strips of parchment and 
 sold as charms. This is not to be wondered at, seeing 
 that the mallams themselves are not very well in- 
 structed. They are strict in the letter of ceremonial, 
 but ignorant of some of the tenets of their faith. 
 These men make cheap sport of the superstition of the 
 people, and scorn them for their fetish worship, but 
 there are few Mohammedans who are not wearing 
 some charm, in the shape of an amulet of Koran 
 texts, round either the neck or the waist. 
 
 As to the moral elevation of the negro by accepting 
 Islam there is grave reason for doubt. In the nature 
 of its teaching the Koran cannot be held as a model of 
 morals. It allows polygamy and concubinage ; its 
 system of easy divorce is subversive of domestic 
 happiness. It degrades woman, reducing her to a 
 chattel, and with such a pernicious treatment of the 
 sex it brings no new element of happiness in the home 
 life of the native, to whom, amid all his faults, wife
 
 4i6 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 
 
 and mother, sister and daughter, had some sense of 
 respect and even sacredness. 
 
 Lord Cromer, in his " Modern Egypt," contrasts 
 the teaching of the Koran with its depreciation of 
 woman with her elevation and sanctity in Christian 
 lands, 
 
 " The Moslem, on the other hand, despises women ; 
 both his religion and the example of his Prophet, the 
 history of whose private life has been handed down 
 to him, tend to lower them in his eyes. Save in ex- 
 ceptional cases, the Christian fulfils the vow which 
 he has made to his wedded wife for hfe. The Moslem, 
 when his passion is sated, can if he Hkes throw off his 
 wife like an old glove." 
 
 But this distinguished authority states that the 
 present enlightened Egyptians are growing more in- 
 clined to monogamy through education, contact with 
 Europeans, and its evident happiness. 
 
 What is the testimony of Dr. Miller on this point, 
 from his personal association with Moslem influence 
 in Hausaland, where, up to the present, it has had 
 its own way, undisturbed by Christian missions ? The 
 quotation is from a paper read at the First Missionary 
 Conference on behalf of the Mohammedan world, held 
 at Cairo in April, 1906. 
 
 The lack of home life, the utter prostitution of virtue, the 
 total disregard of morals, all these have brought a moral ruin 
 to the people, and made West Africa a seething sink of gross 
 iniquity. Woman, although allowed much more freedom 
 than in North Africa, is nevertheless the " thing " of men. 
 Polygamy, of course, is the law ; only lack of wealth prevents 
 men from having four wives and as many concubines as
 
 FOUR NIGER BISHOPS OF TO-DAY 
 
 Bishop James Johnson {Photo, Russell &• Sons) 
 The late Bishop Phillips (Photo, Russell &■ S»hs) 
 
 Bishop OluWOLE (Photo. Russell &■ Sons) 
 Bishop Tugwell \Plwto, Klliot &■ Fry) 
 
 To face page 416
 
 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 417 
 
 possible. Divorce for anything is possible — a quarrel, sick- 
 ness, infirmity, poverty, or worse. The youngest girls are 
 taught the worst vices ; no one is innocent, none pure. Boys 
 and girls grow up in the densest atmosphere of sin, where 
 there is hardly a redeeming feature, and this all under the 
 strictest adherence to the outward laws of Islam. 
 
 The whited sepulchre is full of bones. Immorality of 
 every sort is rife, and there is little shame. Adultery and 
 fornication are not reduced through men having many wives. 
 It is rare to find a woman past the prime of life living with 
 her husband. One would therefore expect to find that pro- 
 gress is ruled out, and that the glance is backward, not for- 
 ward, to " the things our fathers knew and did." The in- 
 evitable fruits of a slave-ridden land — laziness, oppression, 
 dirt — have fallen upon West Africa, and only where Chris- 
 tianity, as in Sierra Leone, Lagos, etc., has had a long time to 
 affect the character and condition, do we see progress. Islam 
 has not, and will not, in West Africa do anything for progress. 
 
 One of the strongest points urged in favour of Islam 
 in West Africa is its legal abstinence from strong 
 drink. Undoubtedly this condition of the creed 
 places the Mohammedan far in advance of the native 
 of West Africa, who is not naturally a drunkard, but 
 to whom the importation of alcohol has proved such 
 a curse. It is stated that in Southern Nigeria the 
 Mohammedans and the Christians are the only people 
 who restrain themselves from this fateful habit. But 
 it is reported that this vow of total abstinence which 
 the Kordn enjoins is not kept so consistently as it 
 might be. 
 
 There is little doubt that the influence of the Mo- 
 hammedans has tended to sharpen the wits of the 
 natives. We are told that in the matter of honesty 
 there is little to choose between them. In his original 
 condition, before the outside world had reached him, 
 2 E
 
 4i8 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 
 
 the native was not difficult to deal with, but since then 
 he has become a better hand at settling a good bargain. 
 The Mohammedan, of course, considers himself superior 
 in both knowledge and ability, which is quite excus- 
 able, and is apt to take advantage in business matters, 
 which is not so defensible. Undoubtedly this superior 
 position affects his chances of success in trade. With- 
 out being more industrious than the natives he can 
 make a better show and reap a larger profit than they 
 do. The natives, for instance, in Northern Nigeria 
 make excellent leather goods. But while they are 
 busy manufacturing, or working hard upon their 
 farms, or cheerfully toiling as porters and bearers of 
 burdens at the ports, the Mohammedan can devote 
 himself to trade and has the faculty of going from 
 place to place to pick up bargains and discover the 
 best market for his goods. He may not have the 
 physical strength or even energy of the natives, but 
 making money being his one object in life, he can soon 
 outstrip his native competitors. Every Mohammedan 
 in West Africa is engaged in trade in some form or 
 other, and therefore they are numerically in possession 
 of the field, whereas only a certain number of the natives 
 give themselves to this business. It must be borne 
 in mind that one of the attractions of Islam is that 
 when a native accepts this creed he becomes part of a 
 widespread fraternity, with many advantages as re- 
 gards commerce amongst other things. And the 
 difference between his choice of Christianity or Islam 
 is that the former involves isolation from his own 
 people and bitter persecution from the aU-pervading
 
 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 419 
 
 Moslem class, whereas in the latter case he makes 
 friends, gains status and importance. 
 
 But is the African the better for it ? In his valuable 
 volume, " Hausaland," Canon Robinson quotes Major 
 Lugard to the following effect as referring in his day 
 to that district of Nigeria and the country behind 
 Lagos : 
 
 In that part of the continent there are teeming populations, 
 eager to purchase our cottons and our hardware. But there, 
 too, the barrier of exclusion, due in this case to Mohamme- 
 danism, has to be broken down. Over vast areas of West 
 Africa it (Mohammedanism) has become so deteriorated by 
 an admixture of pagan superstitions and by intemperance 
 that its influence for good has been largely discounted. 
 The Mohammedan negro is inflated with a sense of his superi- 
 ority, which has taught him a supreme contempt for human 
 life outside the pale of his own creed. The pagan is to him 
 as a beast of the field, fit only for slaughter or slavery. His 
 religion has not taught him to condemn deceit, treachery, 
 or cruelty. Having raised him somewhat above the chaos 
 and the superstition of the pagan it has left him with no 
 brighter aspirations, the victim of bigotry and exclusion, the 
 scourge of non-Mohammedan humanity. 
 
 This indictment, severe as it may seem, is justified 
 by facts, although it may not coincide with the curious 
 partiality which is often shown towards Mohammedans 
 by Europeans, both as travellers and merchants. 
 An African bishop has said that it is quite an un- 
 founded slight upon the Christian negro to say, as it 
 is common to do, that he is a less dependable servant 
 than the Mohammedan. It is not an unusual thing 
 for a European governor of a province, even when a 
 Christian himself, to promise every assistance to 
 missionaries while they confine their efforts to the
 
 420 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 
 
 conversion of the heathen, but any attempt to prosely- 
 tize the Mohammedans will be discouraged. What 
 are the reasons for this attitude ? Possibly from its 
 political side it springs from an unexpressed fear of 
 Moslem discontent, an unrest which might seriously 
 embarrass the administration of a province. And yet 
 as far as West Africa is concerned there does not seem 
 to have been any ground for this alarm ; no outbreak 
 has arisen, and no special objection has been raised by 
 the Africans against the introduction of Christianity. 
 Possibly the position taken up is not so much a political 
 one or even influenced to any great extent by local 
 circumstances. It is much the same at home, and 
 many who have, without examination, been satisfied 
 to consider Mohammedanism as an amiable variant 
 from Christianity are not unprepared to think the 
 best of it when face to face with it abroad. Indeed, 
 there is in all who are not absolute scoffers a sense of 
 respect for the native in his religious aspect : his rigid 
 observances, penances, and prayers, especially the 
 way in which his religion finds a place in his daily life, 
 an experience not so common in Christian home circles, 
 all impress the onlooker, especially if he be a traveller 
 of the tourist type. It is not his business or his desire 
 to peer into the dark nether world of cruelty, corrup- 
 tion, and death, which underlies these external devo- 
 tions. That is the missionary's affair, and when he 
 discloses things as they are it often awakens more of 
 a shudder than a sympathetic interest, even in Chris- 
 tian minds. Human nature dislikes the disagreeable, 
 except in novels and on the stage. The amazing in-
 
 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 421 
 
 difference of Christian people generally to the progress 
 of Islam is sometimes difficult to account for. It is 
 much easier to credit the superficial admiration of a 
 man of the world, whose principle of toleration is quite 
 consistently summed up in the question, " What does 
 it matter ? " 
 
 It would, however, be interesting to explore the 
 grounds of this indifference to Mohammedanism to- 
 day. Islam is not in evidence in England ; the dome 
 of the mosque at Woking, or its place of worship at 
 Liverpool, is practically a negligible quantity. Except 
 at an exhibition the Mohammedan is little seen else- 
 where than at the docks, which is an unknown land to 
 the majority. So it must be chiefly through travel, 
 and more through books, which bring its results to 
 our easy chair, that we know anything of the Moslem, 
 apart, of course, from the missionaries, who are not 
 at this moment giving evidence in the case. Able 
 writers, mostly after their journeyings, have recorded 
 their impressions, and though sometimes mistaken in 
 their special pleading for that creed which has been 
 and still is the deadhest foe of Christianity, their 
 opinions are deserving of the best consideration of the 
 reader. It carries the greater weight, for Islam is 
 thereby not urging her own claims, she is content with 
 the generous and unasked recommendation of her 
 enemies. It does not detract from the sincerity and 
 value of all that has been said in favour of Islam, but 
 the fact should be borne in mind that the love is all 
 on one side. We may thinkVthat it does not much 
 matter for time or eternity whether a man follows the
 
 422 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 
 
 Bible or the Koran, believes in Christ or Mohammed, 
 but the Moslem thinks differently. There is nothing of 
 Laodicea about his view of the position. As far as 
 he knows the tenets of his own religion — and some- 
 times that is not much — he always recognizes his 
 duty to hold Christianity at arm's length, to call its 
 beHevers infidels, and have contempt for every one of 
 them. If he be an instructed mallam he will tell you 
 that your Bible is not a genuine word of God, that 
 the Koran has superseded its authority, that such 
 Christian doctrines as the Trinity and the Divinity of 
 Christ as the Son of God are unreasonable, and even 
 blasphemous. There is nothing backward about the 
 Moslem, his religion is a continuous profession ; he 
 spreads his praying carpet in the market place, and is 
 a missionary everywhere and at any time. The only 
 compromises he makes are with the heathen, meeting 
 them half-way with indulgence in both wives and 
 charms ; but towards the Christian he shows no 
 sign of truce. He can quote a passage from the Koran 
 about Sirdt, a bridge over the midst of hell, with an 
 edge sharper than a sword, over which all must pass 
 barefoot. The infidel Christian will shp and fall into 
 eternal flame, but the Moslem, with firm footstep, will 
 walk over unhurt into Paradise. He will tell you that 
 the Koran, or inspired word of God, was sent down 
 to lowest heaven complete, and there revealed to the 
 prophet Mohammed by the angel Gabriel piecemeal, 
 without a wince of unbelief. He has no qualms on the 
 score of tradition, for he has accepted his Bokhari of 
 7275 apocryphal stories which Abu Abdullah Muham-
 
 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 423 
 
 med ibu-i- Ismail selected from 600,000, uttering a pious 
 Rikcit over every choice he made. Still it may be said 
 that his religion does not make as much demand 
 upon his credulity or even self-sacrifice as if he were 
 a Buddhist or a Hindu. And with it all he is a good 
 fellow, a faithful servant, as his British masters every- 
 where will agree, an obedient and brave soldier, as his 
 officers will attest. Bishop Crowther always admitted 
 the advantages which Islam brought to a people living 
 in pure paganism. To a certain extent it introduces 
 reform, stops cannibalism, and abolishes idolatry, 
 though as regards fetishism it only may be said to 
 supplant the practice by its own charms. And to-day 
 there is not much danger of the virtues of Islam being 
 overlooked, either as a creed or as applied to the per- 
 sonal character of its individual believers. The ques- 
 tion is what is the relative position of Christianity to 
 Mohammedanism, and whether it is not our bounden 
 duty and service to send missionaries to show them 
 the way of Ufe. This point Canon Robinson has ably 
 argued by showing that when Christianity went forth 
 as a missionary rehgion the people of the known world 
 were living in dense darkness, except in Greece and 
 Italy, where, in the days of St. Paul, philosophers like 
 Epictetus taught a high conception of God and duty, 
 and Seneca with his school of wise disciples. It is 
 quite possible that these argued with St. Paul that he 
 had better go to the heathen and leave them, with their 
 light and advancement of religious thought, alone. 
 But this he would not do ; he went first to the philoso- 
 phers and preached Christ to the most enhghtened.
 
 424 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 
 
 Therefore when we are told that the Moslems have a 
 good religion and believe in God, we are not ashamed 
 to follow the example of St. Paul and treat them as 
 needing salvation and the message of mercy in Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 To many the fact that Islam denies the doctrine of 
 the Trinity is not the serious disadvantage which it 
 ought to be. It is not only a deliberate refusal of 
 what God has revealed of Himself, but it replaces the 
 Deity of the Bible with an insufficient Divinity with- 
 out His glorious attributes. There is much force in 
 the opinion of the venerable Dr. Alexander Maclaren 
 in his sermon on John xix. i, where he says : 
 
 Historically a pure theism is all but impotent. There is 
 only one example of it on a large scale in the world, and that 
 is a kind of bastard Christianity — Mohammedanism — and 
 we all know what good that is as a religion. There are plenty 
 of people who call themselves Theists and not Christians. 
 Well, I venture to say that is a phase which will not last. 
 There is little substance in it. The God whom men know 
 outside of Jesus Christ is a poor nebulous thing, an idea and 
 not a reality. You will have to get something more sub- 
 stantial than the far-ofi god of an un-Christian theism if you 
 mean to sway the world and satisfy men's hearts. 
 
 In the Allah of Islam there is no attribute of love, 
 and the divinity and eternal Sonship of Jesus Christ 
 are explicitly denied. " Infidels are they who say, 
 Verily God is the Messiah, the Son of Mary. Say, who 
 has any hold on God if He wished to destroy the 
 Messiah, the Son of Mary, and his mother, and those 
 who are on the earth together ? " (Surah v. 19). The 
 atonement, with its solution of the mystery of sin, is 
 absent, the sign of the Cross is abhorrent, and an object
 
 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 425 
 
 of contempt even to Moslem children. In a very able 
 paper on "Strategic Problems," prepared by the Rev. 
 W. H. T. Gairdner, a C.M.S. missionary at Cairo, 
 for the consideration of the Pan-AngHcan Congress, 
 there are some profound observations on the moral 
 results of such a denial of the Trinity. He points out 
 that the Moslem God is a mere negation. 
 
 With them the infinite is equivalent only to the negative 
 of the Finite, and in reality their god is utterly uninteUigible. 
 . . . Islam is philosophically agnostic. , . . The solitary, 
 inscrutable, characterless sultan of heaven is, I need hardly 
 say, a passionless being. An analysis of the ninety-nine 
 epithets or names wherewith he is characterized can really be 
 reduced to the unethical categories of Being, Understanding, 
 Will, and Force. Epithets which seem to fall within the 
 ethical category are really explained away by Moslems them- 
 selves, who say of the attributes of Love and Wvath that they are 
 respectively aspects of favour and disfavour, which of course 
 are simply names for arbitrary will, and who, as in the case of 
 the attribute of Justice, wholeheartedly endorse the pro- 
 found conclusion of Caliban philosophizing on Cetebos, and 
 thus reduce it, too, to will. I need hardly stop to draw out 
 the miserable jejunency of the ethical fruit which such 
 theological soil as this must always produce — what low views 
 of holiness, what callousness towards sin, what absence of 
 tenderness and truth ! 
 
 If it is pleaded that Islam does well for the nations 
 now, which is subject to contradiction, what guarantee 
 have we of the future ? Judging from her history in 
 the past, and how everywhere she has deteriorated 
 and sterilized the country and people under her in- 
 fluence and government, we should hesitate to bind 
 other nations with the same blighting power. What 
 of Arabia, the cradle of her creed, where for thirteen 
 hundred years she has had a free hand, undisturbed
 
 426 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 
 
 by Christian invasion and interference, political or 
 religious ? Look at Palestine, Syria, Egypt, Morocco, 
 or any country which has lain under her blighting 
 shadow. Wherever the Crescent reigns is decay, 
 neglect, corruption, arrest of all development, and 
 misery. Her history is against her. If Africa is her 
 chosen child, the sphere of her greatest exploits, it is 
 at the same time a living indictment against her rule. 
 She has failed to uplift the nations which have been 
 spared by her sword and slave market. If it be a sin 
 to persecute the saints her cup is filled to the brim 
 with guiltiness ; if to be the wolf that came down on 
 the Christian fold, sparing neither shepherd nor flock, 
 is sin before high heaven, the skirts of Islam are defiled 
 and blood-red. 
 
 Of late years Islam has made some effort to set 
 her house in order. Ten years ago a conference was 
 held in Mecca to discuss the causes of its failure, and 
 no less than fifty-six reasons were adduced by these 
 pious Moslems for this want of success. It was then 
 recognized that the doctrine of fatalism was paralyzing 
 the energy of Islam, and she was also losing ground 
 by her ascetic attitude towards the gains and honours 
 of the world. The spirit of the age seems to have 
 pervaded the atmosphere of this conclave, for strong 
 regrets were expressed that Islam restricted religious 
 liberty, possibly with stricter truth a stronger phrase 
 might have been employed, for her history past and 
 present, as far as she is able to act, is despotic and 
 oppressive in regard to every religion but her own. 
 No practical effect seems to have ensued from this
 
 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 427 
 
 learned and really earnest conference, at which the 
 
 various nations of the world were each represented. 
 
 We are greatly indebted to Professor Margoliouth 
 
 for bringing this remarkable incident under the notice 
 
 of Christian people in England, and in the pages of 
 
 " East and West " are some conclusions which will 
 
 meet with the concurrence of all serious thinkers on 
 
 the subject. 
 
 Has Islam any golden age to look back on, except in the 
 sense that at one time Mohammedan sultans were a terror to 
 their neighbours, whereas now their neighbours are safe from 
 their raids ? There is no real abuse current in Mohammedan 
 states from which they have ever been free, except by accident 
 for a limited time ; on the other hand reforms, whether forced 
 upon the people from outside or not, have been introduced — 
 it is sufficient to point to the abolition of slavery — at least 
 over the greater area of Islam. The days of the pious Caliphs, 
 could they be reproduced, would mean no progress, even in 
 the most backward of Islamic countries. The strengthening 
 of Islam, if it is not to be a calamity to the whole world, is 
 not to be effected by the reproduction of a barbarous past, 
 but by an attempt to utilize the vast force which Islam repre- 
 sents, as a factor in real progress, the civilizing and ennobling 
 of the race. And whether this can be done and the whole of 
 that huge capital must be " written off," is the question 
 which reformers have to solve. 
 
 Why should we send missionaries to convert the 
 Mohammedans ? This is another form of the old 
 question, why preach to people who have a religion of 
 their own, instead of going to the unenlightened 
 heathen ? But it must be admitted that the heathen 
 also have a religion, and therefore it comes to this, 
 we must either ignore the distinct command to " preach 
 the Gospel to every creature," or prove ourselves 
 justified in making a distinction between the various
 
 428 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 
 
 religions of the world as to which is most deserving 
 of the tidings of salvation. The probable course would 
 be to strike off those who were, in our opinion, in no 
 special need of Christianity, either on the ground of 
 the antiquity of their religion, its philosophic excel- 
 lence, or practical utility. In this case not Islam only 
 would be excluded, but Buddhism, Confucianism, 
 Hinduism, and others, which represent the conscience 
 of millions of the world's family. But have we any 
 right to withhold the Gospel from the votaries of such 
 religions, and to assume that Christianity is only for 
 the darkest and most ignorant pagans ? 
 
 Another ground taken up in the argument is that, 
 judging by results, it is almost an impossibility to 
 convert a Mohammedan to Christianity. The same 
 reasoning is often used as regards missions to the Jews, 
 as though difficulties excuse effort, and that the soul of 
 a man is not worth all means and expenditure to save. 
 
 It is for the missionaries in the fighting line to decide 
 what are the best weapons for the conquest of Islam 
 in Nigeria. But before anything can be attempted, 
 the public opinion of the Church at home must be 
 aroused to the right conception of its duty, and then 
 we shall see a movement of men and money and the 
 might of united prayer for the conversion of the Moslem 
 as a sinner in the dark, and needing salvation through 
 Jesus Christ as much as the heathen. Briefly put, 
 the constituents of success involve missionaries spe- 
 cially trained, with a knowledge of the Koran and all 
 phases of Moslem belief, the circulation of copies of 
 the Bible in Arabic and the languages of the native
 
 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 429 
 
 races, medical missions combining faith and skill, 
 educational work, teaching the natives to think for 
 themselves and giving them subjects for their reason 
 to digest ; and, above all, a clear faithful proclamation, 
 at all risks, of Christian faith and doctrine. The 
 African who has accepted Islam has undergone no 
 conversion of character ; he is still the same man at 
 heart, and needs as much as ever the grace which can 
 make all things new in Christ. This, too, is the con- 
 dition of his instructors, for the mallam, with a little 
 more knowledge, is still in the dark. 
 
 We can make no truce -with Islam, except to own 
 humiliating defeat ; it is ours rather to take the offen- 
 sive, and storm her ramparts in the name of God. 
 Difficulties ought not to unnerve or deter us ; the vic- 
 tories of the Cross are testimony of the power of the 
 Gospel over heathenism all over the world, and the 
 same grace and truth can lift this shadow from the 
 face of millions in West Africa and the East. As 
 Mr. J. R. Mott has said, " We should lay siege to the 
 Port Arthurs of the non-Christian world with the 
 undiscourageable purpose to capture them. We should 
 not shrink or falter before such apparently impregnable 
 fortresses as the Mohammedan world." In dealing 
 with Nigeria we must claim the right to urge the cause 
 of Christianity among Moslems with as much freedom, 
 at any rate, as Islam is allowed to propagate her re- 
 ligion among the heathen. The native pastors, upon 
 whom so much of the hopeful future of Nigeria depends, 
 must be instructed in the history and character of this 
 religion, which is the wolf of their sheepfolds.
 
 430 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 
 
 This is a season of golden opportunity. As Dr. 
 Zwemer points out in his striking book, " Islam, a 
 Challenge to Faith " : " Over one-half of the Moslem 
 world is now under Christian rule or protection. 
 Christian rule has not always been favourable for the 
 spread of Christianity, yet it means generally a free 
 Press, free speech, and liberty to confess Christ. Pure 
 Mohammedan rule means an enslaved Press, no free- 
 dom of speech, and death for the apostate from Islam. 
 The keys to every gateway in the Moslem world are 
 in the political grasp of Christian powers, with the 
 exception of Mecca and Constantinople." 
 
 Controversy has its place in dealing with Moslems, 
 and for this the Christian missionary must be fully 
 qualified by knowledge of the Kor^n, armed by such 
 an excellent guide as Dr. Tisdell's " Manual of the 
 Leading Mohammedan Objections to Christianity," 
 and watchful tact and unruffled good temper. But 
 the necessity for a mediator and an atonement for 
 sin must be kept in view, and as to a man, not merely 
 a Moslem, Jesus Christ, as the only Saviour of the 
 world, must be proclaimed. It is a crusade of righteous- 
 ness and peace against darkness, error, and distress 
 holding in fetters the souls of millions. 
 
 " Through the promise on God's pages, 
 Through His work in history's stages, 
 Through His cross that crowns the ages, 
 Show His love to them."
 
 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 431 
 
 We have watched the reaper at his toil from the 
 rising of the sun to the going down thereof at the end 
 of a very long day. Our eyes through all these pages 
 have never left the field, its wide plains dotted with 
 native towns and villages, forests dark and alive with 
 mystery, the silver sheen of the mighty river hastening 
 to the sea, losing itself in thick swamps of mangrove 
 trees, whose grey-white roots at the ebb stick out of the 
 black slime, and at the flood the stream, struggling 
 through a mass of decaying vegetable life, through 
 which the crocodile glides and flies in myriads swarm. 
 We have heard the cries of wild creatures prowling in 
 the darkness in search of food, and the buzz and flutter 
 of wings in the feverish air. But we have listened to 
 other voices — the groans of fettered men, the shrieks of 
 driven women, the wail of the dying dropping down 
 unpitied and alone. Then the raiders came no more, 
 and the crying ceased, the sun shone again upon a 
 people standing safely at their doors or clustered with 
 a babble of tongues in the markets. We have drawn 
 nearer and looked into their faces, and saw they were 
 not yet really free ; the fetter had gone, but the fetish 
 remained. Cowering with dread, they sought to pro- 
 pitiate a hundred vengeful deities, or danced with 
 plaintive wails at feasts of shame. And we forgot the 
 scenery then, the fronded palms, the glitter of water, 
 and the blue mountains beyond, and only regarded 
 these poor wandering ones — millions with hearts dark 
 enough under that cloudless African sky, and we were 
 gladdened by the first streaks of daybreak in these 
 souls of men. This was the field, white in its ripeness, 
 black in its need, unto the harvest.
 
 432 THE FIELD— TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW 
 
 And lo ! in the early morning of a great life a boy 
 is seen in the field, tasting its heartbreak, and growing 
 up to look across its waving human pastures with 
 eyes aglow with love, going forth sickle in hand to do 
 God service there. Through the long hot day he 
 works on, sometimes lost to sight amid a thicket of 
 difficulties, ever hopeful, unwearied, cutting ways for 
 others' feet to travel, reaping possibilities, gathering 
 sheaves of immortal souls. Then the day deepens, 
 the sun, just sinking over the horizon, flings a glow 
 on the brave, tear-stained face, the voice of the great 
 Husbandman calls his name, with a smile of satisfac- 
 tion he lays his sickle down and is gone. Work is 
 over, the reaper is at home now, resting for evermore. 
 
 But though the reaper is a memory, the field is there 
 still to-day. The sickle has passed to other hands ; 
 many who thus follow in his steps are themselves the 
 spiritual harvest of his patient, prayerful toil. From 
 this time the land of the Niger will be ever fragrant 
 with the memory of a worker who in earth or heaven 
 " needeth not to be ashamed," and to us he has left 
 the heritage of his country and its children for our 
 prayers, our succour, and our love.
 
 INDEX 
 
 Abalah, 14 
 
 Abeokuta, foundation of, 82 ; exo- 
 dus for, 83 ; arrival of first mis- 
 sionary, etc., 85, 97, 114, 116, 
 177; bitter persecution at, 214-15 
 
 Abiodun, 3 
 
 Abitsi, 129 
 
 Abo Fowole, 396 
 
 Abogi, 162 
 
 Aboh, 120, 121, 152 
 
 Abokko, presentation of gifts to, 
 198; treachery of, etc., 218-24, 
 260 
 
 Abolition of slavery, 21 ; Bill 
 passed, 23 
 
 Adamawa, 136 
 
 Adams, Mount, 129 
 
 Adamugu, 123 
 
 Addu Kuddu, 58 
 
 Adjai, meaning of, 5 
 
 Aeo, 138 
 
 Afala, 3 
 
 Africa, early history of, 2 ; Associa- 
 tion for, 25 ; for the Africans, 
 304-8 
 
 Agebekun, 138 
 
 Aggo-oj-a, 81 
 
 Ajabo, 3 
 
 Aje, 120, 122, 152 
 
 Akassa, 179, 250, 319 
 
 Ake, 82 
 
 Akodun, 215 
 
 Albert, H.M.S., 60; return of, 65 
 
 Allen, Captain B., 58 
 
 Alumi, chief, 342 
 
 Aluja, 5 
 
 Ama, 129 
 
 Ama-Abokko, 124, 182 
 
 Amusing incident at Bida, 244 
 2 F 
 
 Anasara, 138 
 
 Angiama, 150 
 
 Annear, Rev. W., 86 
 
 Aro-Chuku, 398 
 
 Arokin, 3 
 
 Asaba, 128, 398 
 
 Asai, 114 
 
 Asano, 18, 41 
 
 Ashcroft, Mr., 327 
 
 Athanasius, 2 
 
 Atonement, native sacrifice of, 247 
 
 Atorodibo, 332 
 
 Augustine, 2 
 
 Avebury, Lord, 272 
 
 Ayambo, 337 
 
 Azurim, 400 
 
 Badagry, 83 ; establishment of 
 
 mission at, 87, 90 
 Baikie, Dr., 117, 120, 121, 126, 
 
 127, 130, 132, 133, 137, 139-40, 
 
 148, 153, 165, 178 
 Bajofu, 162 
 Baker, Henry, 71 
 Beam, H.M.S., 41 
 Barth, Dr., 126, 142, 326 
 Bartholomew, Joseph, 16 
 Bathurst, 17 
 Bazeley, Thomas, ship, 220-1, 
 
 225, 229 
 Beale, Mr., 143 
 Beecroft, Mr., 118 
 Bende, 298 
 Benson, Dr., 356 
 Berkeley, Governor, 256 
 Bickersteth, Rev. E., 34 
 Bickersteth, Sarah, 30 
 Bida, 242, 256, 404 
 Binue, 132 
 
 433
 
 434 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Blomfield, Bishop, 72 
 
 Bola, 6 
 
 Boler, Captain, 317 
 
 Bonny, evil customs and history 
 
 of, 201-3, 231 ; old bell found, 
 
 204-5; destruction of lizards, 205; 
 
 terrible persecution, 216-18, 315 ; 
 
 Bishop defends converts, etc., 
 
 316-17, 368 
 Boyle, Rev. J., 386, 393 
 Brass, 151, 231, 297, 317 
 Brickmaking, 322 
 Brooke, Wilmot Graham, 359, 361 
 Brougham, Lord, 22 
 Brown, Dr. Percy, death of, 357 
 Bultiman, Rev. F. ,69 
 Buxton, Sir Thomas Fowell, 22 ; 
 
 book by, 50 ; hears Crowther 
 
 preach, etc., 72, 278 
 
 Cairns, Earl, 356 
 
 Calabar, 2 
 
 Candace, H. M.S., 144 
 
 Canterbury, consecration of Crow- 
 ther at, 186 
 
 Carr, Mr., 123 
 
 Carthage, 2 
 
 Charms, Moslem, 290 
 
 Chichester, Earl of, 106 
 
 Childe, Rev. C. F., 70 
 
 Chineke, 401 
 
 Christchurch, 19 
 
 Clark, Rev. M., 168 
 
 Clarkson, Thomas, 20 
 
 Cole, O. E., 294 
 
 Confluence, 123, 140 
 
 Conversion through a picture, 338 
 
 Coomber, Mr., 228 
 
 Cotton, shipped, 118 
 
 Cotton trade, origin of, 310 
 
 Cripple, story of, 128 
 
 Crook, Mr., 162 
 
 Crowther, Archdeacon D. C, 235, 
 252, 380, 393 
 
 Crowther,'Mrs. D. C. , girl's school, 
 
 395 
 Crowther, Bishop. — Ancestry, 3 and 
 
 4 ; birthplace, 4 ; childhood, 4 
 and 5 ; prophecy of divining 
 priest, 5 ; family trade, 6 ; occu- 
 pations of boyhood, 6 ; saves 
 gods from fire, 7 ; letter on early 
 days, 8 ; capture and death of 
 father, 10 ; burning of town, 1 1 ; 
 carried into slavery, 12 ; sold to 
 Mohammedans, 13 ; temptations 
 to suicide, 13 ; slave barracoon, 
 15 ; rescue from ship, 16 ; life on 
 man-of-war, 17 ; lands at Sierra 
 Leone, 17; . .^rns to read, 18; 
 conversion, 19 ; visits London, 
 33 ; appointed schoolmaster, 34 ; 
 enters Fourah Bay College, 38 ; 
 life there, 39-40 ; in love, 41 ; 
 marriage, 42 ; appointed tutor, 
 43 ; early studies, 44 ; first letter 
 to C. M.S., 47; accompanies 
 first Niger expedition, 51 ; nar- 
 row escape, 52 ; visits grave of 
 Quaque, 53 ; first view of Niger, 
 54 ; visits King Obi, 56 ; chiefs, 
 61-2 ; rum craze, 63 ; meets with 
 Mohammedans, 63 ; mortality on 
 ships, 65 ; sad return of sur- 
 vivors, 66 ; recommended to 
 C. M. S., 69; second visit to 
 England, 70 ; first translation 
 work, 70; enters Islington Col- 
 lege, 70 ; examination honours, 
 71 ; ordained deacon, 72 ; inter- 
 view with Bishop Blomfield, 72 ; 
 ordained priest, 72 ; returns to 
 Africa, 73 ; reception by people, 
 74 ; first sermon, 75 ; visit to the 
 Mohammedans, 76 ; interview 
 with Shango worshippers, 79-80; 
 embarks with missionaries for 
 Abeokuta, 86 ; visits Chief Ogu- 
 bonna, 88 ; preaches to child- 
 ren, 90 ; translates Scriptures 
 and Liturgy, 90 ; his attachment 
 to Church of England, 91 ; 
 travels to Abeokuta under diffi- 
 culties, 93 ; meeting with chiefs,
 
 INDEX 
 
 435 
 
 94 ; and with his mother, 95 ; 
 her conversion and baptism, 97 ; 
 third visit to England, 100 ; 
 visits the Queen, 103, and Cam- 
 bridge, 106 ; farewell at Isling- 
 ton, 107-10; revisits Lagos, 112; 
 translations and Ketu, 114; 
 visits chief, 1 14-15; impressions 
 of Delta, 119-20; interview with 
 Tshukiima, 121, and Ama- 
 Abokko, 125, and natives, 130, 
 and Galadima, 130, and King 
 of Hamaruwa and Sariki of 
 Tshomo, 134; gifts from chief, 
 136; talk with Agbekun, 138; 
 returns from second expedition, 
 139; thoughts on same, 140; 
 letter on Indian Mutiny, 147 ; 
 third expedition up Niger, 148 ; 
 plans for Moslem work, 149 ; 
 on overlapping, 151 ; visits Onit- 
 sha King, 153; town described, 
 154; farewell words to Taylor, 
 156 ; lands at Idda, 157 ; visits 
 Moslem, 158; service at Ghebe, 
 159, 1 60; reverence for Sabbath, 
 160; preaches to Hausas, 161 ; 
 burial of ship's mate, 162 ; visits 
 camp at Bida, 162, and Sumo 
 Zaki, 163-5 ; advice on dealing 
 with Moslems, 165 ; wreck of 
 Day spring, 166 ; meets Henry 
 George, 167 ; Christmas Day on 
 desert isle, 168; talks with 
 Kosomo, 169; discusses Rama- 
 dan, 170 ; escapes from snake 
 and leopard, 171 ; position of 
 women, 172; gifts, 174; talk 
 with Obi Ij'6ma, 175 ; gives 
 boatmen soap, 177; on foot to 
 Abeokuta, 177; preaches at 
 Ilorin, 178; returns to Lagos, 
 178; Niger again with Rain- 
 bow, 178; and gunboats, 179; 
 preaches at Ghebe, 180; shows 
 Masaba cotton gins, 181 ; conse- 
 cration at Canterbury, 186-7 ; 
 
 returns to Niger, 190; welcome 
 from missionaries and college, 
 191-3; starts for Lagos, 194; 
 first ordinations, 194, 195 ; con- 
 firmation at Ghebe, visits Sun- 
 day-school, 197; gifts to Abokko, 
 198, and Ata, 199 ; visits Bonny 
 and founds first Delta station, 
 201 ; describes town, 202 ; de- 
 struction of juju grove, 203-4, 
 and lizards, 206 ; protests respect- 
 ing Ghebe, 213 ; kidnapped and 
 experiences in captivity, 218-24 > 
 rescue by Consul, 225 ; letter to 
 Rolleston, 227 ; of sympathy, 
 229 ; on sacrifices and killing of 
 twins, 232 ; meets Baptist con- 
 verts, 235-7 ; interview with 
 Masaba, 242-3; condemns Mos- 
 lem superstitions, 243 ; sermon 
 to them, 245 ; on native ideas of 
 atonement, 247 ; testimony to 
 Langley, 249-50 ; ordains his 
 son, 252 ; opinions on tempta- 
 tions of trade, 255 ; discusses 
 commerce with Omoru, 256 ; 
 opinion on him, 258 ; treachery 
 and difficulty, 260 ; writes to 
 Livingstone, 261 ; opinions on 
 native shrewdness, 263-5, ^^^ 
 love of finery, 267 ; on first 
 expedition, 277 ; on its results, 
 278 ; early state of Onitsha and 
 improvement, 278-9 ; on preach- 
 ing to Moslems, 281; to heathen, 
 282 ; on books, 282-3 > ^^ poly- 
 gamy, 284-8 ; on Moslem men- 
 ace, 288-9 j denounces their 
 charms, 291-2 ; advises court- 
 esy, 292 ; word of warning, 295 ; 
 real success, 296 ; equipment of 
 ministry, 297-9 '■> on national 
 characteristics, 299-300 ; speech 
 in London, 301-4; on Africa for 
 Africans, 304-5 ; need of men, 
 305 ; letters on Moslem work, 
 293 ; use of Arabic Bible, 294 ;
 
 436 
 
 INDEX 
 
 missionary's example, 308-9 ; 
 grateful sympathy, 309 ; origin of 
 cotton trade, 310 ; travelling 
 difficulties, 311 ; sick-room medi- 
 tations, 311-12; *' better to wear 
 out," 312 ; dealing with Obitsis, 
 313; patience with weak brethren, 
 313 ; pioneer difficulties, 314-15 ; 
 persecutions at Bonny, 315; 
 defends his converts, 317 ; 
 address at Akassa, 319; on in- 
 consistency and discipline, 320 ; 
 the Bishop brickmaking, 323 ; 
 Geographical Society paper and 
 presentation, 324-5 ; interview 
 withOckiya, 331; heathen cruelty, 
 335 5 ^ question of discipline, 
 339-40 ; visits Chief Alumi, 
 342-5 ; retrospective, 346 ; clos- 
 ing days, 347-8 ; death of wife 
 and mother, 348-50 ; crisis 
 begins, first committee, 353 ; 
 Madeira conference, 354 ; scan- 
 dal at Onitsha, 354-6 ; visits 
 England, 356 ; Hamilton ar- 
 rives, 358 ; valedictory meet- 
 ing of Brooke and others, 359- 
 60 ; division of diocese, anxiety. 
 Bishop's forbearance, 362 ; con- 
 sistency of natives criticized, 
 363 ; a case of disciphne, 366 ; 
 appeal for patience, 367 ; on 
 qualifications of pastors, 368-9 ; 
 advocates European help, 369 ; 
 offers to withdraw, 370 ; Delta 
 pastorate mission started, 371-2 ; 
 he breaks down at last, 372-3 ; 
 end draws near, 373-5 ; last 
 letter to C.M.S. with dying 
 hand, 375-6 ; his passing, 376- 
 7 ; funeral at Christchurch, 
 Lagos, 378 ; epitaph, 379 ; 
 home-life memories, 380-8 ; the 
 man and his work, 388-9 
 
 Cupidity of a native chief, 152 
 
 Curious idiom, 175 
 
 Cyprian, 2 
 
 Dahdah, 12 
 
 Dahomey, King of, attacks Abeo- 
 
 kuta, 99 
 Dasaba, 123, 162, 177 
 Davey, Mr., 17; letter to C.M.S., 
 
 33-4 
 Daysprifig, ship, ascends Niger, 
 
 15O; 157. 162; wreck of, 166 
 Death of interpreter, 57 
 
 — Joe, 165 
 
 — old chief, 238, 239 
 
 Delta, first station founded, 201 
 
 Delta pastoral church, originated 
 371-2 ; its history, 391 ; inaugur- 
 ation services, 393 ; constitution 
 settled, 393-4 
 
 Difficulties of native work, 240 
 
 Diplomacy of Bishop, 241 
 
 Djuku, 212 
 
 Dobinson, Rev. H., 373 
 
 Doma, 212 
 
 Drink, history of its evil, 269-70, 
 351-2 
 
 East, Captain, his opinion of Crow- 
 ther, 250 
 
 Ebweh dialect, 13 
 
 Edu, 4 
 
 Education of native children, 266 
 
 Egga, 61, 242, 360, 361 
 
 Elabbo, 14 
 
 Elgin, Lord, 147 
 
 Eko, 14, 16 
 
 Emancipation of slaves, 23 
 
 Erin, 4 
 
 Esperanza Felix, ship, 16 
 
 Espoir, H.M.S., 179 
 
 Ethiope, H.M.S., 65 
 
 Ethiope, Mount, 129 
 
 Expedition to Niger authorized 
 50; starts, 51; second expedi- 
 tion, 117; third, 150; fourth, 194 
 
 Eyo, 9 
 
 Faithfulness of converts, 339 
 Fatuma, 172 
 Fernando Po, 134, 140
 
 INDEX 
 
 437 
 
 Filanis, 136 
 
 Forgiving spirit manifested, a, 
 
 364-5 
 Forester, H.M.S., 326 
 Foulahs, 9, 58 
 Fourah Bay College, established, 
 
 35 ; subsequent history of, 36, 
 
 38 
 Franco-German War, 248 
 Freeman, Rev. T. B., 58, 85 
 Freetown, 17 ; established, 24, 
 
 144 
 Frey, Mr., 143 
 Fulham Palace, 72 
 Fumbina, 136 
 
 Galadima, 130, 159, 172, 177 
 
 Gandiko, 129 
 
 Gaukera, 129 
 
 Garawara, 327 
 
 Garike, 129 
 
 Gbara, 162 
 
 Generosity of chief, 334 
 
 Ghebe, 159, 180, 212; destruction 
 
 of, 213 
 Gibraltar Chapel, 43 
 Glover, Mr., 167 
 
 Goldie, Sir George Taubman, 272 
 Gollmer, death of Mrs., 87 
 GoUmer, Rev. C. A,, 86 
 Gordon, Rev. J. N., 148 
 Gori, 60 
 
 Grant, Captain, 153 
 Green, Rev. T. , 252 
 
 Haensel, Rev. Chas. F., 35, 40 
 Hagar, Mammy, story of, 208-10 
 Halligey, Rev. J. T. F., 238 
 Hamaruwa, 133, 326 
 Hamilton, Archdeacon James, 358, 
 
 374, 378 
 Hart, Captain, 335, 336 
 Hart, Joshua, 216 
 Hausa race described, 404 
 Henry Venn, ship, 326 
 — new ship, 358 
 Herbert, Mount, 129 
 
 Hewitt, Commodore, 329 
 Hill, Bishop, 394 
 Hinderer, Rev. D., 97 
 House of Lords, 356 
 Hunter, James, 71 
 Hutchinson, Mr., 327 
 
 Iba-Agljakin, 4 
 
 Ibadan, 124, 396 
 
 Ibisomi-T'-Elerin-mas^, 3 
 
 Ibo, characteristics, 338 ; super- 
 stitions, 398-9 ; religion, 401-2 ; 
 cause of slow progress, 403 
 
 Ibrahim, 124, 396 
 
 Idda, 129, 157, 228, 259 
 
 Idiari, King, 253 
 
 Idols of an old man, 396 
 
 — putting away of, 176 
 Ifa, 5 
 
 Igara, 212 
 Igbira, 212 
 Ijahi, 13 
 Ijamo, 396 
 Ijaye, 124 
 
 Ijo, 397 
 
 Ik-ke-ku-ye-re, 14 
 
 I'ko-sy, 14 
 
 Ilogun, 114 
 
 Ilorin, 124, 235 
 
 Imoru, 133 
 
 Indian Mutiny, 146 
 
 Investigator, H.M.S., 179, 194, 
 
 220 
 Iphigenia, 16 
 Iseh'i, II, 12 
 
 Islam. See Mohammedanism 
 IsHngton College (C.M.S.), 70 
 
 — Parish Church, 252 
 
 — parochial school, 34 
 
 Jabbo, 14 
 
 Johnson, Archdeacon Henry, 337, 
 
 358 
 
 Johnson, Bishop, James, drink traffic 
 273> 378 ; on twin mothers, 
 400-1 ; Ibo worship, 401-2 
 
 Johnson, Rev. William A. B., 26 ;
 
 438 
 
 INDEX 
 
 death of, 30; eulogy by con- 
 verts, 31 
 
 Johnson, Mrs., 294 
 
 Johnston, Sir H. H., testimony re- 
 specting lizards, 206 
 
 Jonas, Simon, 139, 148 
 
 Juju grove destroyed, 203-4 
 
 Kaduna, 162 
 
 Kakanda, 212 
 
 Kano, 142, 149 
 
 Ketu, 114 
 
 Kingdom, death of Mr., 65 
 
 Kissling, Rev. G. A., 43 
 
 Kissy Road burial ground, 31 
 
 Kosoko, 87 
 
 Kosomo, 149, 169 
 
 Kowara, 162 
 
 Kpate Gbara, 162 
 
 Ktsa, 166 
 
 Kutigi, 405 
 
 Lafun, 162 
 
 Lagos, 14, 112, 178, 250 
 
 Laird, Mr. McGregor, 116, 142; 
 death of, 179 
 
 Land of Israel, 337 
 
 Langley, Francis, death of, 248-9, 
 254, 294 
 
 Leeke, Captain H. G., 16; Ad- 
 miral, 186 
 
 Leopard, narrow escape from, 132 
 
 Letter from Bishop's little girl, 98-9 
 
 Lincoln, Bishop of, 187 
 
 Limitations of native royalty, 246 
 
 Liquor traffic, evils of, 270-4 
 
 Little Fojo, 16 
 
 Little Isumo, 133 
 
 Livingstone, Dr., 147, 260, 262 
 
 Lokoja, 212, 225, 242, 244, 250, 
 
 339. 357, 364. 404. 407 
 Long Juju, 398 
 Lynx, H.M.S., 250 
 
 Macaulay, Abigail Crowther, 228 
 Macaulay, Zachary, 24 
 Macdonald, Sir Claude, 375 
 
 Mackenzie, Lambert, ordained, 194 
 Maliki, letter against drink, 271 
 Mandranu, Mountain, 136 
 Mansel, Rev. H. Longueville, 187 
 Masaba, 181, 242 
 Maxwell, Thomas, 43 
 May, Mr., 127, 130, 132, 137 
 McWilliam, Dr., 65 
 Mends, Sir Robert, 16 
 Memorial Training Institution, 394 
 Misadventure at Bida, 257 
 Mohammedanism, 116, 133, 404- 
 
 30 
 
 Mohumma, 133 
 
 Mokwa, 404 
 
 Molyneaux, Lieut., 243 
 
 Mortality among missionaries, 26 
 
 Moslem, camp visited, 162 ; advice 
 for dealing with, 165 ; fast of 
 Ramadan discussed, 170; preach- 
 ing to, 281 ; menace of, 288 ; 
 evils, 289 ; charms, 290 ; inter- 
 view with, 408-9 
 
 Mount Barrow, 162 
 
 Mount Patteh, 124 
 
 MuUer, Rev. J. C, 95 
 
 Mungo Park, 166 
 
 Muregi, 162 
 
 Muri Mountains, 133, 136 
 
 Myrmidon, H.M.S., 16, 73 
 
 Native advice, 113 
 
 — boarding schools, 264 
 
 — church service, 247 
 
 — Christian's resignation, 197 
 
 — ministers, 185 
 
 — outrage on the Niger, 329 
 N'deshi, King, 171 
 
 Neh'i, II 
 Nembe, 150 
 
 New Calabar, native parade at, 267 
 Newell, Prebendary, 72 
 Newton, Rev. John, 28 
 Nicol, George, 43 
 
 Niger, first expedition, 50 ; sad 
 return, 65. 
 
 — second expedition, 117
 
 INDEX 
 
 439 
 
 Niger, third expedition, 150 
 
 — fourth expedition, 194 
 
 — Ashcroft's journey up in Henry 
 Venn, 327 
 
 — 123, 142, 178 
 
 — reasons for creation of bishopric 
 of, 184-5 
 
 Njoku, 401 
 N'ku, 162 
 Nixon, Bishop, 188 
 Noah, David, 30 
 Nun, River, 329 
 Nupe, 162, 212, 404 
 Nupeko, 162 
 
 Obatala, 3 
 
 Obi, 120, 122 
 
 Obi Ij'oma, talks with Bishop, 175 
 
 Oboh, 138 
 
 Obu, 212 
 
 Ockiya, 330-1 
 
 Odiri, Prince, 196 
 
 Ogbomosho, 235 
 
 Ogubonna, 88 
 
 Ogun, River, 81 
 
 Oko Jumbo, 233 
 
 Okoni, 333 
 
 Oko-Okien, 218 
 
 Okorika, 332 
 
 Olaminigbin, 3 
 
 Okl Calabar, 231 
 
 — King's prayer, 176 
 Olorun, 5, 91 
 Olumene, 177 
 Olumo, rock of, 81 
 Omo-oga-Egun, 3 
 
 Omoru, King, 172, 256-7, 295 
 
 Onitsha, 153-4 ; human sacrifices 
 at, 155 ; convert's heroism at, 
 I9S-6 ; fire, 213, 245, 253, 320; 
 destroyed, 330, 339, 397, 402 
 
 Opobo, 391 
 
 Oqunegba, 396 
 
 Ora, 391 
 
 Ordination service of catechists, 251 
 
 — of Archdeacon Crowther, 252 
 Origen, 2 
 
 Osh6gun, 4, 8, 9, 11, 382 
 Ossamare, 153 
 Osu, 3 
 Oyo-Ile, 4 
 
 Palmerston, Lord, Crowther's in- 
 terview with and letter from, 102 
 
 Pan-Anglican Conference, 406 
 
 Pawning children, 173, 
 
 Pearse, Rev. E., 378 
 
 Pepple, King George, 265 
 
 Pepple, King William, 202-3, 207 
 
 Pepple, King William, letter from 
 son, 207-8 
 
 Perry, Commander, 147 
 
 Phillips, Captain Charles, 41 
 
 PhilHps, Rev. T., 354 
 
 Piotieer, H.M.S., 243, 330 
 
 /Y«W, H.M.S., 118, 120, 128, 137, 
 139, 326 
 
 Plymouth Brethren, 91 
 
 Pocock, Mr., 144 
 
 Poh-poh, 13, 16 
 
 Polygamy, Crowther's views on, 
 285, 288, 415-16 
 
 Portuguese, 13 
 
 Presents, effect of, 243 
 
 Prince Consort, 105 
 
 Protomartyr at Bonny, 216 
 
 Quaque, Rev. Philip, 53 
 Queen Victoria, interview with, 105 
 Queen Victoria, gift to Sagbua, 
 1 00- 1 
 
 Rabba, 62, 149, 177, 235 
 Rainbow, ship, attack on, 179, 
 Regent, revival at, 27 
 Rennell Mountains, 162 
 Rescue of twins, 233 
 Rhodes, Rev. H., 77 
 Richards, Mr., 125 
 River Nun, 119 
 
 Robinson, Rev. J. A., 359, 361 
 Rogang, 61 
 Rogankoto, 128 
 RoUeston, H. V., 227
 
 440 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Rolleston, Mrs., 228 
 
 Royal Geographical Society, 324-5, 
 
 327 
 Russell, Lord John, 50 
 Russell, Lord W., 103 
 
 Sacrifices, animal, 230 
 Sagbua, 91, 93, 94, loo 
 Schofield, Rev. James, 71 
 Schon, Rev. J. F., 46, 66-9; 
 
 death of, 350-1 
 Secret societies, 396-7 
 Sekeri, 343 
 
 Settlement of freed slaves, 24 
 Shango, 78 
 Sharp, Granville, 20 
 Shodoke, 82 
 Sidney, Mr., 58 
 Sierra Leone, 17, 24; improved 
 
 state of, 45 ; Crowther revisits, 
 
 III, 144 
 Sokoto, 133, 149 
 Sokoto, Sultan of, 133 
 Somerset, Duke of, 356 
 Soudan, H.ALS., 51, 60 
 Spiff, Thomas, 317 
 Squiss, Chief, 334 
 Stanger, Dr., 64 
 Stanley, H. M., 260 
 Stock, Mr. Eugene, 391 and preface 
 Story of Baptist converts, 235-7 
 
 — Bishop's captivity, 218, 224 
 
 — Okrika woman, 332-3 
 Sufen, Chief, 327 
 
 Sumo Sariki, 62 
 
 Sumo Zaki, 162, 177 
 
 Sunbeam ^ ship, 166 ; relieves party, 
 
 174 
 Sunday Island, 119 
 
 Taiwo, Emma, 376 
 
 Taylor, Captain, 124 
 
 Taylor, Rev. N., 148, 154, 175, 
 
 176 
 Tertullian, 2 
 
 Thomson, Susan, 41 
 
 Toko, 13 
 
 Townsend, Rev. Henry, 85, 384 
 
 Trading temptations, 352-3 
 
 Translation work, 322 
 
 Trotter, Captain, 60 
 
 Tshadda, 126, 129, 132 
 
 Tshomo, 133 
 
 Tshuku, 138 
 
 Tshukuma, 120, 121 
 
 Tugwell, Bishop, on drink traffic, 
 
 273, 394 
 Twin children, 231 
 — mothers, 401 
 
 Umoru, 172 
 
 Vanity of native mind, 268 
 Venn, Rev. Hy., 363, 391 
 Verses on Bishop's death, 377 
 Vidal, Bishop, 176 
 
 Waters, death of Mr., 65 
 
 Weeks, Rev. J. W. (Bishop), 18, 
 
 89, 143 ; death of, 144-5 5 
 
 widow of, 187 
 Wellington, 46 
 Wesley, John, 20 
 Whitefield, George, 20 
 White man's grave, 25 
 Whiting, Rev. J. Bradford, 354, 373 
 IVilberforce, H.M.S., 51, 60 
 Wilberforce, William, 20 
 Williams, Rev. D. G., 340, 341 
 Willie, Mr., 64 ; death, 65 
 Wilson, Rev. Daniel, 107, 252 
 Winchester, Bishop of, 187 
 Winifred, 328 
 Wood, Rev. J. B.,353 
 Wuyagi, 162 
 
 Yoruba, 3, 4, 8, 212 
 
 Zhiru, 133 
 Zibi, 131 
 
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 T^he Black Bishop, 
 
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