South and South Central Africa: A record of fifteen years' missionary labors among primitive peoplesDavidson, Hannah Frances
History
South and South Central Africa: A record of fifteen years' missionary labors among primitive peoples
Davidson, Hannah Frances
Brethren in Christ Church -- Missions; Missions -- Rhodesia; Ndebele (African people); Tsonga (African people)
When the body was brought to Bulawayo, thousands of people, both white
and black, vied with each other in paying a last tribute of respect to
him who had done so much for the development of the country. The natives
realized that they had lost a friend that could not be replaced; and the
white people believed that no one could carry out so successfully many
of the public affairs with which he was associated. When the funeral
procession reached the burial place, the heavy casket was raised to the
top of the granite hill. Into the solid rock a grave had been cut, and
into this the casket was lowered. The grave was then covered by an
immense granite slab, on which was fastened a large brass plate with
this inscription: "Here lie the remains of Cecil John Rhodes."
A part of his property was left for the improvement of the country to
which he had devoted his time and talents. His two large estates in
Rhodesia, together with an annuity, were bequeathed to this country; and
his fine and well-built estate near Cape Town was given over for the use
of the government of Cape Colony, but the grounds are continually opened
to the public. The Rhodes scholarships for various countries, including
two for each State in the United States, were given with a hope of
cementing nations together. He wished no monument to be erected over his
grave, but near the place is the Shangani Monument to the memory of
those who fell in the Matabele War. The grounds have been beautifully
laid out and a well-built road extends from Bulawayo to the grave. On
his estate at Cape Town is a granite monument seventy feet long, built
near the seat overlooking both the Atlantic and the Indian Oceans, where
he used to sit and lay his world-wide plans. There is a sad feature
connected with his life, like that of many other men whom the world
calls great. While he made so much provision for earthly things, there
seems to be no evidence that he made provision for eternity.
During this year there also died near us a native who had been more or
less interested in the work, by the name of Fusi. He had been a
prominent soldier under King Lobengula, and also remembered the first
king, Mzilikazi. He loved to talk about the good old days, and could
tell of a visit that Rev. Moffat, the father-in-law of Livingstone, once
made to this country. He said, "I remember Chete [Rev. Moffat] quite
well. I was just a young man at the time and King Mzilikazi treated
Chete nicely. He said to me, 'Go and milk a cow and bring some milk for
the missionary.'"
This old warrior, however, never showed any desire to become a
Christian; but he was always glad to have his people attend school, and
his youngest son was one of the first communicants. The native finally
became sick with dropsy, and when we visited him during his sickness, he
said an enemy had bewitched him, adding:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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