A MISSIONARY AMONG THE ZULUS.

Kumara Times, Issue 844, 14 June 1879, Page 2

A MISSIONARY AMONG THE ZULUS.

The following story appears in the Uiteuhage Times, which states it was obtained from a Zulu sometime ago i^Some years since a- missionary went to the King's kraal with a view of converting him and his people to Chris* tianity. He stayed there some days* and the King agreed to hear him on the following Sunday. The Sunday arrived, the King gathered his people together, and also called up two of his finest regiments to hear what message had been brought to Him from the white men. The missionary, delivered an elegant but short sermon, in which he set forth the beauties of heaven and pointed out that if they lived a bad life they would be. cast into a tremendous fiie, so large that it would scorch up the whole of the Zulu nation, though they were as numerous as locusts, in a few 'irionents.. The ehief and people paid gieat attention to all the missionery said. After the service the King said, What was that you said this morning about puttiug the great Zulu people in a gre:»t fire after they weie dead 1. Come this way, and I will show you what the Zulus are j you don't know them, I can see." He took him to a pile. of wood, which had been built, of tremendous pro- " portions—as big M. a Bay store* the Zulu said—and had it set fire to all round. When it was properly, in a blaze, and gave out so much, heat that no one could come near it, the King summoned the'two regiments who had listened to the sermon, and ordered . them to charge into the burning pile and extinguish it. Naked as they were, without shoes or any covering at all, they rushed into the burning mass like madmen, raving and yelling, and did not stop till hardly a vestige of the fire) remained. The King then said to the missionary, "You have seen that. That is what we will do with your hell: .y The Zulns wont play with your fires',-/ and you had better clear out of this country at once, or I will have'a ' little fire' made for you to put out." The missionary took the hint, and left the kraal the same evening. Is it any wonder, ask people, after this, that Gatling guns and rqcket batteries have no terror for Zulas ?—and . it is certain they have none. The Zulus, when ordered to attack, attack; and, though they may be mown down by; v thousands, still come on, until they J conquer or die. It is a tradition among them which Lord Chelmsford wohld do well to take into consideration in hia future movements in Zululand.