dance and we will eat our victim. Be sure and come.” When Missionary Bozeman ar rived on the spot, he found sev eral hundred people g a t h e r e d around the body o f the victim. A t th e a p p o i n t e d t i m e , w om e n formed a circle around the dead man and began to sing and shout. He gives the details o f this ap palling incident: “ The singing became l o u d e r and the dancing increased in tem po. When it reached a high cres cendo, the women moved away quickly from the body and sev eral w a r r i o r s rushed in. With their knives, axes a n d s h a r p rocks, they began to cut, first on the ca lf o f the leg and then on the buttocks and after that the arms. As soon as one succeeded in cutting off a piece he pushed the others aside to make his way to the fire they had built near by. I f others thought one had too large a portion, they compelled him to divide with them. In their struggle over the pieces o f human flesh, they were like vicious dogs. Some o f the flesh was roasted over the fire at the scene. Other parts were wrapped in grass and taken back to the village to be roasted and eaten that night. “ Chills ran up and down my spine as I heard the sickening thuds made by axes and stone knives with which they were dis membering the unfortunate vic tim. Although I had turned away to shut out the sight, I could not resist the impulse to look again. They were cuting off the head and dividing the parts among them— the eyes, the ears, and the tongue* Then they began swinging their axes with all their might to cut the back open. My stomach could take no more. I was sick physical ly but still more sick at heart from t h i s horrifying spectacle. Men created in the image o f God were behaving like savage beasts. I groaned within me.”
There you have it — cannibal ism — a part o f animism. But what happens when the Gospel comes to such people? Recently hundreds o f these same people have turned to God from idols. I quote freely from Dr. Louis King o f the Christian and Mis sionary Alliance: "In the islands of New Guinea a spiritual flame is spreading rapidly through the min istry of converted tribesmen. “ Several thousand o f the fo r mer cannibalistic Dani tribe have turned to God from idols and have burned their fetishes. The Gospel has come to them with overpower ing effect and has captured their hearts and brought control to the lives o f these people. “ Their commitment to Christ has resulted in almost unbeliev able deliverance from sin and an immediate and insatiable desire to know God’s Word and to obey it. The feared devil charms are gone. Murder has been brought to an end, and w itchcraft too. In an impressive ceremony converts publicly broke and burned their implements o f war, even though they were surrounded by enemy tribes still engrossed in the evils o f murder, war and revenge. “ Their i n e x p r e s s i b l y v i l e courtship songs are now tabu. The stealing an d r a i d i n g fo r which they were noted fa r and wide are abolished. The smoking o f tobacco, which had. a strong hold on the people, has ceased. To day if one smokes he is looked upon as a stranger and an out sider. Child marriages and forn i cation are being overcome by the law o f the Gospel. There is a genuine fear o f not doing right and thus losing the presence and favor o f God. “ New converts have a com mendable zeal fo r God’s Word. They memorize, retell, teach and apply God’s holy Word. Their zeal fo r righteousness and the Bible
is coupled with fervency in w it nessing. They are vibrant and en thusiastic, literally bursting with missionary zeal that would put to shame the. average American church. As a result the Gospel is accurately known in the farthest villages. " A chapter of church history is being en acted in New Guinea's hinterland. “ This calls fo r rejoicing and praise to God. Not only is the Holy Spirit bringing thousands o f fierce savages into the fold o f the Good Shepherd and making them His lambs, but also He is rapidly form ing t h em i n t o v i g o r o u s churches.” This is not an isolated case o f the working o f God among ani- mists. There was a time not too many years ago when it was worth your head to venture into Formosa’s high mountains. Today these mountains echo with the praises o f God ringing from over 300 churches. Whole villages have turned f r o m t h e i r witchcraft, their superstition, t h e i r fear, their black magic an d wicked practices. They now love the same Lord -whom we love, sing the same hymns we sing, and preach the same Gospel we preach. Light has dispelled darkness. Anything we do to help young people go to good schools where they can be trained fo r mission ary service and anything we do to send forth these young people to the regions beyond is abundantly worthwhile. The Gospel must go forward. The people must hear. \ . . and how shall they hear with out a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? . . .” (Romans 10:14, 15). ( Permission to quote Mr. Bozeman and Dr. King was given by the Christian and Missionary Alliance.) (This article is a chapter from the ex citing informative book entitled IN HALE THE INCENSE by Dr. Dick Hillis.)
1$
MARCH, 1965
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