The Cape and the Kaffirs: A Diary of Five Years' Residence in KaffirlandWard, Mrs.
History
The Cape and the Kaffirs: A Diary of Five Years' Residence in Kaffirland
Ward, Mrs.
South Africa -- History -- Frontier Wars, 1811-1878
"Certainly," replied the missionary; "except we believe in and obey God,
we cannot be saved."
"And you are sure," continued the Kaffir, "that man is very wicked, and
God alone is good?"
"Quite sure," replied the missionary.
"And there have been thousands--millions of men, and many, many
countries far away and beyond the waters," pursued the savage, "full of
sin, who cannot be saved, except they love and fear God, and believe in
him and in all these mysteries which none of us can understand, and
which you yourself even cannot explain?"
"It is but too true," said the missionary.
"And there is but one God?" pursued the Kaffir, in a tone of inquiry.
"But one God," was the solemn answer.
The savage pondered some minutes, and then observed, "What proof have
you that God is right, and men are wrong? Has no one ever doubted that
One being wise and the other being weak and sinful? How strange that
the word of your One God should be allowed to weigh against the will and
inclination of the whole world! Your cause is hardly a good one, when
hundreds and millions are opposed in deed and opinion to one! I must
consider your arguments on Christianity well before I decide on adopting
your creed."
Another remark of one of these natural logicians equally illustrates
their determination not to be persuaded to anything without having their
own reasons for it. Wherever their inclination leads them, they possess
such an art of defending themselves as would be an invaluable addition
to the talents of a special pleader in a criminal court. One Kaffir who
had become a Christian, at least apparently so (for I doubt the decided
conversion of any, except the Chief, Kama)--was striving, for reasons of
his own, to bring others to the creed he had adopted. After much
argument, one, who grew tired of it, closed it by observing that "since
such punishments were in reserve for those who neglected the laws of the
Master whom they engaged to serve, he preferred enjoying the world as
much as he could while living, rather than becoming a subject of one
whose laws were irksome, and whose punishments were so terrible."
This art of reasoning, however it may lead them into discussions as full
of sophistry as ingenuity, may be the means of converting some of them
to Christianity. It makes them keen listeners; and, since the Word of
God is so plain, that "he who runs may read," may not these poor people
be persuaded to that which must teach them that wisdom and power, and
mercy, and unbounded benevolence, are the attributes of that God whom
they are invited to worship? Sometimes, I hope this, and then some
proof of Kaffir treachery makes me wonder how I can ever form such a
hope.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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