19 APRIL 1879, Page 22

The Religion of the Africans. By the Rev. Henry Rowley.

(W. Wills Gardner.)—A great amount of information on the subject' of African beliefs and superstitions is to be found in this interesting and valuable little book. It may also be taken as reliable information, since Mr. Rowley has not only examined very widely the observations of missionaries and travellers in Africa, but has himself served as a missionary there, and evidently, as every missionary should do, has endeavoured earnestly to find out the thoughts and beliefs of those among whom he laboured. As the chief result of his investigations, Mr. Rowley comes very decidedly to the conclusion that the belief in an untreated supreme spiritual being prevails universally among the Africans. The evidence be brings forward in proof of this conclu- sion, which has been much questioned by some travellers, seems to us satisfactory. The author also shows that though the belief in an exist- ence after death is general, it has no connection with any belief in future rewards and punishments.