It is only of late years that much has been known of the people of the heart of Africa. Explorers have passed through its borders; along its coasts travelers have wandered, but few have, until recently, pushed on into the interior. Even to-day there are vast regions unexplored. Of the millions of peoples inhabiting these parts we know only that which the Arab slave-dealers, and some native African traders have told us. The extreme points, North, South, East and West Africa have been known for many years. The interior, stretching back from Upper Egypt, and extending clear across to the River Niger, has been but little traveled by foreigners. From Zanzibar on the south-east, radiating like a fan, explorers have passed to the great lakes to the north-west, the Victoria Nyanza and Albert Nyanza, to the west to Tanganyika Lake, and to the south-west, the Nyassa and Bangweolo Lakes. To the west of these lakes, saving only the countries lying along the banks of the Lualaba, Livingstone, or Congo River, along which Stanley traveled, the land is almost unknown. Even of the African peoples among whom Europeans have lived, it is difficult to learn much of their religions. First, because they have no sacred books, no records, in fact no writing at all. Their traditions and teachings have all been handed down by word of mouth. Again, the Africans are unwilling to tell foreigners about their religious beliefs, customs and worships. It is difficult to gain their confidence. When one asks them about it, they give evasive answers, or pretend to know nothing about the matter. This fact has led to the supposition that some of these peoples had no religious nature whatever, but that they formed an exception to the general evidence in favor of man’s religious nature. Yet travelers have by patient investigation, observation and inquiry learned considerable. They have compared their conclusions, and have so been able to give us some idea of the gods and religions of Africa. The Africans have no buildings of brick or stone, and have no knowledge, seemingly, of writing. These two facts have been brought to show that the Africans must have left the rest of the family of mankind very soon after the Deluge. The Africans are, with the exception of some of the South Sea Islanders, and the Aborigines of Australia, the most degraded people on the face of the earth. But here and there among them are small nations who are intelligent, and shrewd, and possessed of capabilities which place them above their fellow-Africans. The African peoples are of all shades of color, from blackest black to purest white, and just so do they vary very greatly in point of intelligence. Yet the best are very degraded, and the worst are but little above the beasts of field or forest. If the Gospel of Jesus Christ is needed anywhere, it is among the peoples of the Dark Continent. [Illustration: A LAWYER OF ZULULAND.] AFRICAN BELIEF IN A GOD OR GODS.