The Dominion. SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 1910. MARRIAGE CUSTOMS OF SAVAGE RACES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 775, 26 March 1910, Page 4

The Dominion. SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 1910. MARRIAGE CUSTOMS OF SAVAGE RACES.

A cablegram,published in another part of. this issue in reference to the discovery of a plot in German Now Guinea to massacre all tho missionaries draws attention to one of the most difficult problems with which those people who are devoting their lives to the social. and moral betterment of uncivilised races have to grapple. The plot seems to, have arisen out of resentment by the natives, of interference with their inarriago customs with the object of stamping out : polygamy, a practice, which is. interwoven with tho whole social life ,of many savage races. The attitude of the missionaries to the manners and customs of heathen peoples, such as the inhabitants of New Guinea,' Has of .recent, years received, a great'deal of attention,'and careful study of this problem on the spot has caused many of the most experienced: minds to make some very radical changes . , in their methods. ; Such' changes have received abundant justification from the modern science ;of Comparative Religion, which is based upon the recognition of a family relationship between the religious beliefs of all ages and countries. _ The existence, of beliefs and practices common'to many widely-separated religions, writes 'Professor Driver, shows that the instincts of which they are the expression—even though it'may be .the struggling and imperfect expression—are rooted, in human nature, and that 'they have a real claim to be'; satisfied. Stimulated. by this,broader outlook the modern missionary approaches.the rudimentary theology of .savage races in a thoroughly sympathetic and tolerant spirit, and he makes.use of it as far as possiblo as a starting point from which 1 to lead the people among whom he labours to higher and nobler'ideas. 'From many points of view he comes not to destroy, but to fulfil. Instead of waging a,war' of extermination against their' beliefs and customs, ho endeavours to win the confidence ' of the nativo races, changing their social life as little as possible', and leaving* undisturbed the ancient ways .in so far as they are not incompatible with fundamental Christian principles. Tho question arises: Is the continuance of polygamy absolutely ■;• incompatible with the acceptance of Christianity : by a ■'•■ heathen race 1 There is a great difference of opinion among the highest missionary authorities on this point, but the.majority appear to consider that Christianity is committed to monogamy 'in the mission field "as else--where, and that polygamist inquirers should not be admitted to baptism before they have renounced their manner of life in this respect. However, men of such high standing as the great Archbishop Whately, Bishop Bickersteth, and the famous Bishop Oolenso, of Natal, thought otherwise, and the latest, papors from Home report a speech in which_ Sir J. Compton Rickett, an eminent Nonconformist, declared that there is a danger of exacting too high a standard from converts from heathenism, referring to polygamy as a case in point. "So far," ho said, "from polygamy favouring any form of immorality, it was a protection against it." Both sidcs,_ however, agree that the ultimate aim must bo to lead the people from polygamy to monogamy, but tho difficulty arises, to use the words of one who Bpeaks from long experience, of keeping non-polygam-ist converts from becoming polygamists, when polygamists from heathenism are received into the Church. There is. also to be considered the likelihood of many male would-be inquirers who had not yet become polygamists holding back till they had increased the number of their wives before accepting Christianity. 'A curious question has_ also arisen as to tho relative positions of husbands and wives in a polygamous marriage. According to the stricter, point of view, the husband cannot be admitted to baptism; but what about the wife? Is the wifo a polygamist because her husband has other spouses 1 . She has only one 'husband, and must she be punished 1 Bui U specially, favourable trdat-

Mont is to .be meted out to the women, as regards polygamy, are the men in cases of polyandry (in which one wife has numerous husbands) to be given the same consideration? The answer' appears to bo in the negative, for the men are regarded as the responsible parties in such marriages. These are some of the very real, if somewhat curious, problems with which the missionaries have to grapple, and it must be admitted that they are being faced and thought out in a patient, courageous, and sympathetic spirit. As regards polygamy there seems to be a _ movement in the direction of a wider toleration for the time being, with a view to its gradual extinction. This point of view is advocated by so-experienced an authority, as Bishop James Johnson, of Southern Nigeria. Ho asks what has been the effect on mission work in West Africa during the last nineteen years of the policy of excluding polygamists from baptism, and his answer iB very significant. He declares that it has not drawn heathen or Mohammedan polygamists nearer the Church, nor caused any number of them to bo more favourably inclined towards Christianity; but on the contrary Mohammedanism has made rapid strides, and is threatening to become mistress of thei, situation. In the light of these facts he asks: "Is there not a call in all this for a review and modification of the present method of dealing with polygamy? Might not. the missionary, whilst he lifts up Higher and higher the flag of monogamy as the ideal form of social life, deal in a moro liberalminded way with the very difficult question of polygamy ?" Though there is a great deal to be said on both sides of this complicated and delicate problem, most people will agree with Bishop Johnson .when he states that a practical method of dealing with the subject of the rela-' tion of mission work to' national customs is one that calls for much judicious sympathy with the ultimate object of promoting the spread of Christianity and its nationalisation '. throughout the world. It should not be necessary to denationalise a race in order to convert it.