"Cornelius to Basel"

(Cornelius seems to have been the catechist sent one week ahead of Mohr and Mader on their exploratory visit to Begoro). He preached there twice a day, from 7 to 8 in the morning, and 5 to 6.30 in the evening. He remarks that the poor people have the custom of washing and eating before going to their farms. They grow rice, yams, groundnuts and corn. They often shoot wild buffalo, apes, deer etc. They have a fetish prohibition over eating fish either from a well-stocked nearby pond or from the rivers. Cornelius however caught two fish and cooked them for his supper, one night. There is also a large tree to the south of the town which is regarded as a fetish. Cornelius remarks that one day when he was preaching about God would forgiving sins an old fetish priest said to him that he did not think God would forgive him his sins because he had been the ruin of so many people. He explained that when his fetish had caused the death of a person the fetish came onto possession of that persons property – so he had often given poison to well-to-do people. Nevertheless said Cornelius forgiveness was for him too. (No 185 is almost exactly the same text as No 184).

13.05.1875

13.05.1875

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