IN the Island of Luzon, of the Philippines’ group, there dwells a singular tribe, called the Macabebes, of whom little is known. They are dark, and so small as to be almost dwarfish in stature. The men wear their hair in long, thick masses that hang below their waists. They are fierce fighters, and hate the Tagalogs, another but superior tribe with great intensity. The beginning of it may be legendary. Anyway the Macabebes saw that once, long ago, their forefathers were invited by the Tagalogs to partake of a splendid feast. They went, so the story runs, with nothing but peace in their hearts, and gifts in their hands. By various skillful methods they were murdered. So quickly and so quietly was it done, that the guests barely had time for realization. It is a historical fact that the Tagalogs in very late years, made a raid into the Macabebe country, and created an ugly record for themselves in destruction arid slaughter.
And so it is that the Macabebes hate the mightier tribesmen, and all that is theirs, and for many years would pray to their gods to send them a way of revenge. When the Spanish-American war was carried on in the Philippines, General Lawton sent Lieutenant Batson to raise a battalion from among them, to fight Aguinaldo and his native troops, among which were the Tagalogs. “At last, the gods have sent us a means of revenge,” they cried. Lieutenant Batson could have raised a regiment in a day, had he wanted to do so. The Macabebe women were eager to have their sons, husbands and sweethearts go with him. They would do all killing, the men vowed. When they faced their foes, they hurled themselves upon them with a force that nothing could stop. When a warrior saw one of his, companions fall by his side, he would call with new fury, “I will kill fifty of them for this!”
What a hideous picture of the human heart, and of what we are by nature! How entirely different from that of our blessed Lord and Saviour, who, when He was on the cross, cried for His enemies, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” He was on the cross for them, for us, who also were His enemies. He could have come down from the cross, where He was nailed, had He chosen to do so but His love kept Him there. He was bearing OUR punishment!
DO you, children readers, accept Him with a grateful heart, and thank Him for it, or do you care nothing about Him, and His love?
ML 10/08/1922