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Updated: May 11, 2025
Have written to Topready to suggest a May-Day Festival with African drums to dance to, if no English May-pole to plait. Went to a down church, where they had a sort of special service. Lambing-time among the South Downs just coming on. The sacrifice pleaded with one main request in view the blessing on the flocks. If they had only brought some lambs in!
And when he was home in the old country he was glad to find time and occasion to observe afresh, supplementing Africa by Europe, intuitions by research. The Rev. Charles Topready, a keen missionary, had asked him to visit him the week before he went homewards. It was the season when that countryside threshed out its millet-grain in a revel of rhythmic labor.
He talked with him quietly a little while. 'The pact is made, then? said Topready. 'No, I don't think we have sold our convictions, either of us. I don't feel penitent about my side of the bargain. 'I feel it's a holy alliance, said the Bishop, and his face glowed. 'People will keep this night, and remember what was done on it, may be, long after we are forgotten.
The people on the Mission ground were asked for poles, grass, work, &c. 'These were given, said Topready, 'or at least "given" is the word that I understand my predecessor would have chosen. The headman proclaimed that his will coincided with the will of the native teacher.
Topready stood close beneath him looking cheerful, the native teacher was near looking dubious, next to him stood the headman with his white beard, looking amused. Around them the crowd poised and posed itself among the rocks with innate grace and imposing silence. Even the babies in the goatskins were quiet. The Bishop spoke of alms-giving.
These people, so quiet and yielding as to the selling of sacrament, and levying of church vote how easily they might be swayed to more sinister reminiscences of the Middle Ages! If he and Topready and Azariah and the headman enjoined it, what would save certain aged heathen neighbors from an auto-da-fe for alleged witchcraft one of these nights?
They were on the rocks smoking, the Bishop between Topready and Manners, who was not a parson, but a policeman. 'It's like this, said Topready. 'Holy Innocents' is the first church that has been built since I came here. It was built on a system. He explained roughly how it worked. The native teacher used his personal and official majesty for what it was worth.
Topready stuck out his chin and kept bravely to his two points the danger of materialism and the menace to the spiritual cults and festas of Holy Church as by law established in the England of to-day. 'All right, said the Bishop, 'let us have no Harvest Thanksgiving for the tillage of African earth. That is to say not this year. But keep an open mind. Topready promised dubiously.
Moreover, if you look into it, generally you'll find things at Missions much as you find them here. These gloriously "given" Mission churches on Mission lands that the home magazine ecstasizes over are not given so very freely, to say the least of it. They are put up by a sort of social pressure immensely effective, Topready broke in.
Topready had had many letters, and they had had their effect. But he had not capitulated yet. He capitulated at a price, as we shall see. 'Church ready by Christmas, wrote Topready, 'please come and consecrate. 'Expect me the day after, telegraphed the Bishop. He thought about a bonfire as he rode along on that Saint Stephen's Day. 'The kopje above the Mission! he reflected.
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