The White Queen of Okoyong: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism and FaithLivingstone, W. P. (William Pringle)
Religion
The White Queen of Okoyong: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism and Faith
Livingstone, W. P. (William Pringle)
Missionaries -- Nigeria -- Biography; Slessor, Mary Mitchell, 1848-1915; Women missionaries -- Biography
And when she landed and walked through the forest trails, the same
thought was in her mind--how these paths had been beaten hard by endless
files of hopeless slaves--men, women, and little children.
"At last," she said thankfully, "the cruel reign of heathendom is over,
and peace and kindness and happiness are now coming to this dark land!"
She found the villages and towns almost touching one another, and full
of people.
"Welcome, Ma! we looked for your coming," shouted her old friends, the
slave-traders, although they knew well that she would try and stop their
evil doings.
She found that some native traders from the coast had been telling the
people about Jesus, and she called the chiefs and held a palaver and set
about starting a school and building a church. It was curious to see not
only children but grave men and women squatting on the ground learning
A B C! And some of the men were old slave-hunters.
"Come back soon, Ma! You are the only one who cares for us," they cried
as she left.
One day, when coming down the Creek, she was idly watching a snake
trying to swim across the quiet water, when bump, bump, her canoe was
run into and nearly overturned by another, which shot out from the side.
"Sorry, Ma," said the man in it. "I have been waiting for you many days.
My master at Akani Obi wants to speak with you."
The canoe was turned, and followed by the other into a creek that was
fairylike in its tender beauty, and came to a beach where stood a
nice-looking, well-dressed native and his wife. They took her into their
home, which was furnished like a European one.
"I am Onoyom," said the man. "When I was a little slave-boy, one of your
white missionaries explored as far as this. All the people fled. I was
not afraid, and I took him to the chief. I was punished afterwards. When
I grew up I went to the cannibal feasts at Arochuku. My master died, and
ten little girls were killed and placed in his grave. I became steward
of the House, and ruled as chief. My house was burned down, and my child
died. I thought some enemy had done it, and I wanted to murder people. I
met a man who had been a teacher, and he said, 'Perhaps God is angry
with you.' I said, 'I want to find this God.' He said, 'Go to the White
Ma and she will help you.' I took a canoe to find you. I missed you. I
left a man to wait, and he has brought you. Now, will you tell me what
to do?"
As she listened Ma's eyes grew bright with joy. She talked with him and
his household, telling them of Jesus and His Gospel, and praying with
them, and promised to come and begin a school and church. Then they made
her a cup of tea, and went with her to the beach.
As her canoe skimmed over the quiet water again, darkness fell, and a
rain-storm came on and Ma was drenched, but she did not care; she sang
aloud in her blitheness of heart, for after ages of darkness and
wickedness the sunlight of God was beginning to shine in the Creek.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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