NEWS AND VIEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11243, 12 December 1899, Page 3

NEWS AND VIEWS.

' THREE UNCROWNED KINGS. REMARKABLE HISTORY' OF THE , WARLIKE BASUTOS. There are three native chiefs in Southern Africa of whom in the neai future the world may hear a good Lerotliodi, tie paramount chief of the. Basutos; Bunu. " king" of the Swazies, who is only just beginning to " feel his feet," as the saying is; and Dinizulu, the keen, clever, intelligent, and lately repatriated chief of the Zulus. Many people thoroughly conversant with the situation in South Africa now believe that the great tribe of the Basutos will seize the present opportunity to wreak vengeance on the Boers, and wipe out many old grudges. The Basutos are among the finest and most intelligent of tho African native races. During half a century they suffered injustice, tyranny, and cruelty at the hands of the Dutch in the Transvaal and Orange Free State. Not unnaturally, the Basil hate the Boers in the most vindictive spirit. Although some natives described in the despatches as Basutos are alleged to be helping the Boers in the field, the general opinion among well-informed people from South Africa is that tho Basutos as a body will, on their own initiative, take the field against the Boers. Lerothodi (pronounced Loritori), the paramount chief of the Basutos, is believed to bo loyal to the British. His son, with 150 natives, has sought protection from the Boers undor the . British flag. Should the Basutos rise, they will form a formidable enemy. Lerothodi can put 50.000 wellarmed, well-mounted, fearless and reckless men in the field. Half of theso would be armed with rifles, the rest with battle-axes and assegais. Lerothodi is a bravo and skilled leader, as he has proved on more than one occasion. The Basutos as a race have many admirable. traits. Of all the barbarian tribes in South Africa they are probably the pick, being, for a savage r.ace, thrifty, industrious, and enterprising. They are never so happy as when cultivating their mealies and corn, the agricultural districts of Basiltolandl being cut up into numberless patches of well-cultivated ground. The produce of Basutoland in 1892 was valued at £250,000 sterling. So rich and productive is the spil that no part of the world could surpass Basutoland as a wheat-producing area if the industry were carried on under the guidance of expert farmers well supplied with modern implements. One fact that stamps the Basuto as a superior savage is the comfortable, rational domestic life he leads. Many Basutos at the present time live in well-built, substantial houses, though the majority still cling to the huts of their rude forefathers. For a long time Bunu's position was akin to that of the Emperor of China— was overweighted and overshadowed by the Queen-mother, a very determined lady indeed, and quite a character in her way. Bunu's position lias always been a little curious, and to this day there is a good deal of indecision about his movements and character. He still lets " I dare not" wait upon "I would." He does not love the Boer. Bunu, with all his faults, is no coward, and perhaps the time is not far distant when he will prove himsolf—as he has not done up to —worthy to bo the head of a race whoso valour is undoubted. Dinizulu, chief of tho Zulus, may be said to be on his trial. He has only been back a short time among his people, from whose society he in 1888 was banished to St. Helena for rebelling against British authority. This was some four years after ho hail succeeded Cetewayo. Curiously enough Dinizulu's capture was effected by a party of Boers, headed by Luka Meyer, who is now in command of a large Boer force against the British.

INCENSE OR OBEDIENCE?

SHOULD THE CHURCH BE ON A DEMOCRATIC BASIS? The English Church Union hold a meeting recently to consider the Lambeth opinion and its bearing on the liberties and present needs of the Church. The meeting was held at St. James' Hall, and the hall was crowded to suffocation. It was a Church Congress in itself, except that it spoke not of the Church as it is, but of the Church as it ought to according to the lights of the speakers. There was an overflow meeting, and Father Dolling spoke at both. He had to use his muscular Christianity 5n the crush, and when he came in the perspiration was ponring down his face.

Lord Halifax, the president of the Union, was heartily cheered. Ho made a long, interesting speech, full of feeling, and si eager that he was impatient even of the cheering. "What we ask," he said, "is that tin Church of England may be trusted to govern herself, not apart from the State, but in harmony with the State, and in accordance with her own inherent principles. Let that be granted, and all may yet be well. If we use our opportunity aright I am not sorry for the present troubles, and I look forward to a time of far greater prosperity and power for the Church of England." Canon Gore followed — spectacled, audible, and argumentative. He was practical, but not as practical as he might havfe been, because they were "not," he said, "met to discuss the opinioh, but their attitude towards the position it had created.'' This was their great opportunity. All they had to do was to keep their faith and hope, and also keep their heads. Supposing the immediate result of the decision was a step backwards? Well, a little pruning would be no bad thing. " What the Church wants," said • the canon, 11 is the autonomy with which Christ endowed her. Let us set ourselves steadily to the task of regaining our power of selfgovernment. There is no reason why its form should not follow that of the age, and be representative. In past centuries !th& parish meeting was active and. powerful, and women took part in it as well as men. Why not revive that form? Women are the heart and backbone of religion. The righto of the laity must include the rights of laywomen. The loud Protestant clamour grates upon our nerves, but we owe a great debt to the doings of the last year or two, for they have given us an opportunity oi letting our fellow-countrymen know what we want." Canon Body, venerable and white-haired, a member of 33 years' standing, began with an old man's caution, by reciting the points on which they were all in agreement. He foretold a storm to follow, and it came. The trouble was the knotty point of obedience. The canon approached it as one determined to say his mind at all costs. "However unacceptable it may be," ha said, " I do believe that when my bishop comes to me as my Father in God, and calls upon me to accept his decision— am not judging my brother, God forbid!—for mc there is no possible attitude but absolute obedience." There was a sympathetic cheer, followed by persistent cries of dissent. The opposition demanded three cheers for ' Father Wainwright, and for some minutes the canon was unable to prococd. When he resumed his eyes were moist and his voice broken with emotion. "The Holy Catholic religion," he said, "has been the inspiration of my boyhood, my maturity, and my old age. It is the mainspring of my life. But I must say what is in my heart." Tile members encouraged him with a cheer, and when finally ho declared that reform must come, even if it cost disestablishment to get it, the meeting was entirely on his side. , Father Dolling made a fighting 'speech, silencing interruptions with a masterful air. Canon Knox-Little shewed, by a story of the good Bishop Fraser, that even bishops sometimes countenance disobedience. The bishop asked him to surrender vestments. He replied that if the bishop spoke with the powers of Pentecost he would do it, but if it was Act of Parliament and Privy Council talk he could not, and the bishop might have his resignation. " God forbid," replied Bishop Fraser, "and God bless you . * , A resolution was adopted, appealing for greater autonomy and powers of self-govern-ment for the Church,' by means of a more adequate _ representation of the clergy in Convocation, and more voice for the laity in the counsels of the Church. It was agreed that the archbishops and bishops be aoked to take the initiative in such a movement. V , . After, the meeting a crowd of dockere met Father Wainwright, their East End pastor, .and cheered him all die way to Charingcross Station. "