IsiXhosa Intellectual Traditions (IsiXIT) Digital Archive

NEHEMIAH TILE is, we learn, in cus¬tody at Mqanduli, charged with inciting the Native Chiefs to refuse to pay the hut tax to the Magistrate. The charge against him is, however, so novel that it is very doubtful whether conviction is possible. Nehemiah is well-known to the present writer. He was under training for some years for the Native Ministry, in connec¬tion with the Methodists, and was even then regarded by his school acquaintances as a man of strong will and bull-dog tenacity of purpose. A correspondent of the Journal says, respecting him, ' Advice and warning have been re¬peatedly proffered him by friends, but to no avail; his only reply is, that neither the fear of imprisonment, nor banish¬ment, nor death shall deter him from doing what he believes to be his duty to his chief and people.' This is just like Nehemiah Tile. He was urged to resign his charge in the Wesleyan Ministry when it was discovered he had been bitten by the political tarantula. We do not think that Nehemiah's education had advanced far enough to enable him to cope with the intricacies of diplomacy, and especially diplomacy of the nature of that he has embarked upon—of revolu¬tionizing the Government of the extra ¬Colonial territories, for he may involve himself in futile contentions.