IT WAS a great day when the African chief, proud, arrogant and seated upon a chair, was to be publicly proclaimed ruler in the stead of his deceased father. A big beer drink had been arranged in the capital and all the people were to be present to greet and flatter him with carefully chosen words and to enlarge upon his importance.
The head men and common folk would all in turn drink beer poured into the bottom half of a small calabash, which makes an excellent cup. The chief, however, must drink out of the skull of a person killed for the purpose.
A man unnamed was chosen as the victim, but very cleverly Mulenankambi discovered that he was that man, and as both his father and mother had died at the hands of the chief’s family, he decided to save his skull by running away before the great day. Thus he escaped and it became necessary to fall upon another person in the stead of Mulenankambi.
The second section of the story is also remarkable. It is called
“A Saved Soul”
Mulenankambi became more or less a wanderer for over a year, and then one day he appeared on a mission station. He remained there and daily listened to the gospel preached by missionaries. Nothing seemed to affect him but one thing. He said he heard nothing but sin, sin, sin. It seemed as if the preaching was all against him. “The wages of sin is death,” was a text which clung to him as an octopus clings to its victim. “Death, and after this the judgment,” these words followed him as a hunter follows the animal’s track. He feared exceedingly the thought of judgment far more than death at the hand of his chief. To save his skull he ran away and now he longed to save his soul; but where could he run? The African forests, numerous and vast, could afford him protection from the chief, but not from the eyes of his Holy Creator.
He continued to listen to the preaching, and having been convicted of sin, which is absolutely necessary ere one can appreciate the saving work of Christ, he next was delighted to learn that Another had died in his stead. A year or so before that day a man, at the chief’s orders, had died because Mulenankambi had escaped. Now he heard that when there was not any possible escape from the guilt of his sin, Christ, the Son of God, died on his behalf. How thankful he was, and how he reveled in the grand gospel text,
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. Mulenankambi saved his skull; but Christ, by His death, saved Mulenankambi’s soul.
May I inquire of the reader whether he or she has a saved soul? It is possible to be saved and to know it here and now. The Scripture saith, “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Rom. 10:9.
“Done is the work that saves.”
“HE HATH MADE HIM TO BE SIN FOR US, WHO KNEW NO SIN; THAT WE MIGHT BE MADE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM.” 2 Cor. 5:21.
ML-02/21/1960