IN BELGIAN CONGO.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 September 1922, Page 4

IN BELGIAN CONGO.

EXPERIENCE IN MISSION WORK. AN INTERESTING LECTURE. A very interesting lecture descriptive of mission life in the Belgian Congo was delivered in the Assembly Hall, Robe Street, New Plymouth, last night by Mr. Ernest D. Rout, who, with Mrs. Rout, is at present on furlough in New Zealand. Mr. and Mrs. Rout are stationed at Nkomeshya, in Lubaland, .part of the Belgian Congo. Mr. Rout is a quiet, earnest speaker, and with his lantern slides he gave his hearers an intimate acquaintance with everyday life in the mission field and the types of natives encountered. Mr. Rout said that the missioners were more afraid of the mosquitos than of the v/Hd beasts. The mosquitos brought deadly diseases and every effort was made to combat them by means of very fine netting over the windows and doors. There were no glass windows, but only apertures covered with the netting, while on his station, which was about 7 degrees south of the equator, there was no need of fires in the mission house. Indeed, there were no chimneys in the house, the only chimney being in the kitchen, whfch was a detached building. The climate was particularly good for jpnyone suffering from chest trouble, said Mr. Rout. There was no consumption in the district, and he instanced the ease of one white resident who is possessed of only one lung and is quite healthy. The missioners, continued Mr. Rout, did not set themselves up as educationalists, giving only sufficient to enable the natives to read and write so that they could understand the Gospel. As instancing the steadfastness of the conversion of some of their pupils he showed a photoglyph of a number of boys whose faith was put to a strong test. Except the hunters dance, the dances of the natives were essentially wicked and one day these boys were called on to join in the dancing and feasting and drinking attendant on the initiation of some others to a secret society. The boys refused to attend, although threatened with dire punishment, which was inflicted on them when they persisted in their refusal. There were no white missioners within fourteen or fifteen miles, said Mr. Rout, and had those boys gone over nobody would have been the wiser. The converts knew this, but stuck to their faith.

When the first missionaries went into that territory, continued the speaker, they were met with great suspicion on the part of the villagers, who suspected them as spies for the Belgian Government. This suspicion took a lot of getting over, but the interest displayed in the children did a good deal to allay it. The lantern slides were particularly interesting. Mr. Rout has a number of very fine views of the country, including some beautiful, waterfalls. The lantern was operated iTy Mr. G. Buckley- ’ To-night Mr. wbut will deliver another lecture with a new lot of slides.