PUTTING TO DEATH OF THE NATIONAL GODS AT BONNY, DELTA OF THE NIGER.

KING PEPPLE, an African king, who was baptized some years ago in England, having applied to Bishop Crowther for a Missionary to

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PUTTING TO DEATH OF THE NATIONAL GODS AT BONNY.

instruct his people, and being found willing to contribute liberally toward the expenses, a Mission was commenced on one of the oil rivers, the Bonny, to the south of the delta of the Niger.

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The following extract from a former letter of Bishop Crowther shows how degrading were the superstitions which had long tyrannized over this people.

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A few yards distance from our temporary schoolroom in Bonny Town stands the great Juju house, in which are arranged upon posts. of the doors at the entrances, and on the walls, and on the upright posts. in the centre of the Juju house, rows of hundreds of human skulls as decorations to the god's house: these are said to be the skulls of prisoners of war, who were offered to Juju in sacrifice, and whose flesh was feasted upon in vengeance on their enemies. Outside, in front of this great Juju house, was a platform erected of sticks, about six feet high, on which were piled up the bones of those who have been thus dealt with. But of late a change for the worse has been observed to be taking place in the Juju house, and in those things connected with it,

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The sacred house itself is very much neglected, very much out of repair it is out of its perpendicular position, tottering, and will soon be down unless propped up. None seem to take any interest in repairing these things, as far as I can hear just now. The young men are heard to remark, as they pass by, These things were not used to be so: there is a change taking place.' 27 T

There are also private Juju houses, and priests, and priestesses, in whose houses more or less human skulls are to be seen. These sacred houses may literally be called houses of human skulls. The ugly figures of wood which are set up to represent the gods are like those which may be met with in all other parts of Africa. la

The reptiles called the guanas, of the lizard tribe, are worshipped, being sacred to the gods: these are to be seen in great numbers at the doors and outside the houses everywhere. Their sight is most disgusting, especially when their body is covered over with mud, in which they sluggishly crawl about, and, being so tame, they will scarcely make an effort to move when in one's way. I was sitting at the verandah of our hired house one day, observing the motion of one of these creatures : in the front of the house a small cask was sunk, which served for a well, containing about two feet of water. The guana sluggishly crawled towards the edge of the well, and plunged into the water. In a few seconds it came up again with a large crab in its mouth, which it quickly devoured, On its plunging into the water, the mud with which it was besmeared washed off, and the creature came up in beautiful chequered colours of green and yellow, so that one would almost imagine it was another creature from the one which had plunged into the water. Though these creatues are held sacred, yet when they trespass on private property they are often roughly dealt with. One day, as I stood under a large tree, buying building sticks for our new station, I observed a man with a stick in his hand thumping a large guana, and pushing it into the creek. I asked him why the man did so to his god, when I was told that it had killed and eaten up all the fowl and chickens the man

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was rearing up. There was another large guana which had crawled on the tree near which I stood, apparently sick from severe beatings. Others may be seen crawling about with a stumpy tail, a part being cut off by some one in anger, whose property the guana had most likely destroyed. This will show how much private regard is now being paid to these creatures sacred to the gods, though no one dared say any thing publicly against them.

As Dagon before the ark, so has this miserable idolatry fallen to the ground before the power of a faithfully-taught Gospel. Bishop Crowther writes, April 22

No sooner was the 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 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 alone, where they were exposed to public view as a proof of the people's conviction of former error, and that they were determined to reform in good earnest in this respect: everywhere one went the carcases of the guana met the sight.

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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 decided that some of the blood be sprinkled into all the wells in Bonny town, to indicate that they all had concurred, not only in its destruction, but 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).

cannot be expected that all the people had the resolution of the king and his chiefs to act fearlessly: superstitious fear does not soon vanish away from the minds long held by it, consequently the wells of water were shunned from superstitious fear rather than from disgust. The water girls were instructed to direct their way to the Mission premises for a supply out of our well for their use. The girls poured suddenly upon us in great numbers, with their pitchers on their shoulders, many of them in a state of nudity. Here was an opportunity for me to correct the evil of such habits, which I could not do in the town. Now I have made it a strong rule that no one should be allowed to enter the Mission premises to draw water unless clothed: they have cloths at home to use, but the habit of going without from childhood has made them careless and indifferent. The poor girls were in a dilemma: the blood of the guana drove them from the wells in the town, and here they were driven back for want of clothing. The rule had the desired effect the consequence was, a hasty share of handkerchiefs or wrappers with those who could spare some from their persons. From that time it was rumoured all about the town that no one could be allowed to get water from the Mission premises unless clothed. Since the last three days there was scarcely a case to be corrected: all came with their wrappers on., nga

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Not only had the people suffered great losses by these reptiles de- : vouring their chickens, but several persons had seriously suffered, either by being severely beaten or even put to death for hunting or unwit-, tingly killing one of these sacred reptiles. Being thus protected by such severity, the guanas became tame, and ranged about everywhere, like domestic creatures, unmolested, and with this liberty they did much mischief, and thus became a public nuisance to all, but no one dared to say any thing against their sacredness. It was superstitiously believed that if any person should kill one of them, the vengeance of the gods would be felt throughout the country; hence every one was afraid to offend. Many civilized visitors have laughed at and ridiculed their foolishness for worshipping such creatures; but the reply which was generally given was, "Your country fashion be good for you, my country fashion be good for me" so ended the matter. God, in his mysterious providence, seems to have made the late king Pepple's exile from Bonny for a time the means of paving the way for the changes which are now taking place here. When he was at Fernando Po, in 1854, at which time he first invited me to Bonny as a Missionary, one of the promises he made then was that he would clear the guanas from the town as being no longer juju. But the Lord's time was not yet come; King Pepple had it in his mind to do this when the Mission was actually established here, but he had many prejudices to encounter, which only time could remove. He died without accomplishing this, but it was left for his son George, who has succeeded him on the throne, to strike the blow. -P ob D

THE work of the Church Missionary Society divides itself into two principal operationsgathering and scattering; and under these. two heads may be ranged the whole of its great work at home and abroad. The attention of the public is naturally attracted to our Mission work in foreign lands, and information is sought as to the details of the work of scattering which is carried on through the the agency of the various Corresponding Committees, ordained Missionaries, catechists, and lay agents, now in active work at the 154 foreign stations of the Society. In and about these 154 stations are scattered the funds collected at home. They are employed in the multifarious details connected with a Mission station; the sup port of the Missionary; the pay of Native agency; the repairs of the Mission premises; and many other small expenses incidental to the carrying on of Mission work. Here, too, are scattered the lives of such as Martyn, Noble, and Völkner; and here, in and around these 154 stations, is scattered broadcast the seed of the Word, by men who are instant in season and out of season, sowing, often in tears, going forth often weeping, bearing precious seed, sowing beside all waters; content to sow, not anxious to Hot over reap, leaving the reaping time to the Lord of the Harvest. But while the interest of our friends centres around our Mission work abroad, it.

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is very necessary to direct attention to the home work of the Society, that portion of the work which comes under the head of Gathering. It is difficult to say which of the two operations, scattering or gathering, is the more important. Doubtless all the gathering is for the purpose of scattering; but, on the other hand, were there no gathering there would be no scattering, and an army without the sinews of war would be an inert, useless mass. Consequently, the vast importance of the mechanism by which the Society gathers presses on those who have to watch the ingathering.

A very remarkable feature of the gathering in of the Society's funds is found in the vast multitude of small helps which go to form the aggregate of the supporters of the Society. There are between four and five thousand agencies which are in connexion with the Society, Associations and Branch Associations in large towns and small parishes, and among these, sermons are preached and meetings held, at which the claims of Mission work are advocated. Notwithstanding this manifold agency, the total results are very miserable when compared with the vast wealth of our land. The income of all the Missionary Societies in England does not reach more than one million; a miserable result indeed when we remember that the sum might be contributed easily by our resident peers and commoners. Were every one to give a little, how different would be the result, not only in the income of the Missionary Societies, but as regards the spiritual condition of the nation? The home work of the Church Missionary Society is, to use the words. of one who has tried it, "an invaluable link between pastor and people ;" and it is where such a link is established that the largest proportionate results are obtained. In proof of this we subjoin the Annual Report of a small Parochial Association in one of our northern cities. The parish to which this Association belongs is a small poor parish, in which there are not more than five houses with rentals of 301. each; and yet in this poor parish there are, for the last year, 305 subscribers, giving 464. 15s. 9d. There are 85 holders of Missionary Boxes, who have collected 327, 11s. Ad.; and there has been held a sale of work, which realized 387. 6s. 8d. One contributor to the sale was a carpenter, who w late and early, before and after his working hours, to manufacture some articles, which produced 17. Last, but not least, there are ten lady collectors who, by a personal canvass throughout the whole parish, have gathered in 38. 13s. Over the whole work, stimulating and blessing it, is the spirit of deep and prayerful interest in the Church Missionary Society; but on this point let the Report and Address speak for themselves:

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MY GOOD FRIENDS AND NEIGHBOURS,-It is my duty to lay before you again our Annual Parish Missionary Report. We have, many of us, been very busy in our endeavours to obey our Saviour's last command