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ver the question of admitting outcasts。
These outcasts； or osu； seeing that the new religion weled twins and such abominations； thought that it was possible that they would also be received。 And so one Sunday two of them went into the church。 There was an immediate stir； but so great was the work the new religion had done among the converts that they did not immediately leave the church when the outcasts came in。 Those who found themselves nearest to them merely moved to another seat。 It was a miracle。 But it only lasted till the end of the service。 The whole church raised a protest and was about to drive these people out； when Mr。 Kiaga stopped them and began to explain。
〃Before God；〃 he said； 〃there is no slave or free。 We are all children of God and we must receive these our brothers。〃
〃You do not understand；〃 said one of the converts。 〃What will the heathen say of us when they hear that we receive osu into our midst？ They will laugh。〃
〃Let them laugh；〃 said Mr。 Kiaga。 〃God will laugh at them on the judgment day。 Why do the nations rage and the peoples imagine a vain thing？ He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh。 The Lord shall have them in derision。〃
〃You do not understand；〃 the convert maintained。 〃You are our teacher； and you can teach us the things of the new faith。 But this is a matter which we know。〃 And he told him what an osu was。
He was a person dedicated to a god； a thing set apart—a taboo for ever； and his children after him。 He could neither marry nor be married by the free…born。 He was in fact an outcast； living in a special area of the village； close to the Great Shrine。 Wherever he went he carried with him the mark of his forbidden caste—long； tangled and dirty hair。 A razor was taboo to him。 An osu could not attend an assembly of the free…born； and they； in turn； could not shelter under his roof。 He could not take any of the four titles of the clan； and when he died he was buried by his kind in the Evil Forest。 How could such a man be a follower of Christ？
〃He needs Christ more than you and I；〃 said Mr。 Kiaga。
〃Then I shall go back to the clan；〃 said the convert。 And he went。 Mr。 Kiaga stood firm； and it was his firmness that saved the young church。 The wavering converts drew inspiration and confidence from his unshakable faith。 He ordered the outcasts to shave off their long； tangled hair。 At first they were afraid they might die。
〃Unless you shave off the mark of your heathen belief I will not admit you into the church；〃 said Mr。 Kiaga。 〃You fear that you will die。 Why should that be？ How are you different from other men who shave their hair？ The same God created you and them。 But they have cast you out like lepers。 It is against the will of God； who has promised everlasting life to all who believe in His holy name。 The heathen say you will die if you do this or that； and you are afraid。 They also said I would die if I built my church on this ground。 Am I dead？ They said I would die if i took care of twins。 I am still alive。 The heathen speak nothing but falsehood。 Only the word of our God is true。〃
The two outcasts shaved off their hair； and soon they were the strongest adherents of the new faith。 And what was more； nearly all the osu in Mbanta followed their example。 It was in fact one of them who in his zeal brought the church into serious conflict with the clan a year later by killing the sacred python； the emanation of the god of water。
The royal python was the most revered animal in Mbanta and all the surrounding clans。 It was addressed as 〃Our Father；〃 and was allowed to go wherever it chose； even into people's beds。 It ate rats in the house and sometimes swallowed hens' eggs。 If a clansman killed a royal python accidentally； he made sacrifices of atonement and performed an expensive burial ceremony such as was done for a great man。 No punishment was prescribed for a man who killed the python knowingly。 Nobody thought that such a thing could ever happen。
Perhaps it never did happen。 That was the way the clan at first looked at it。 No one had actually seen the man do it。 The story had arisen among the Christians themselves。
But； all the same； the rulers and elders of Mbanta assembled to decide on their action。 Many of them spoke at great length and in fury。 The spirit of wars was upon them。 Okonkwo； who had begun to play a part in the affairs of his motherland； said that until the abominable gang was chased out of the village with whips there would be no peace。
But there were many others who saw the situation differently； and it was their counsel that prevailed in the end。
〃It is not our custom to fight for our gods；〃 said one of them。 〃Let us not presume to do so now。 If a man kills the sacred python in the secrecy of his hut； the matter lies between him and the god。 We did not see it。 If we put ourselves between the god and his victim we may receive blows intended for the offender。 When a man blasphemes； what do we do？ Do we go and stop his mouth？ No。 We put our fingers into our ears to stop us hearing。 That is a wise action。〃
〃Let us not reason like cowards；〃 said Okonkwo。 〃If a man es into my hut and defecates on the floor； what do I do？ Do i shut my eyes？ No！ I take a stick and break his head That is what a man does。 These people are daily pouring filth over us； and Okeke says we should pretend not to see。〃 Okonkwo made a sound full of disgust。 This was a womanly clan； he thought。 Such a thing could never happen in his fatherland； Umuofia。
〃Okonkwo has spoken the truth；〃 said another man。 〃We should do something。 But let us ostracize these men。 We would then not be held accountable for their abominations。〃
Everybody in the assembly spoke； and in the end it was decided to ostracize the Christians。 Okonkwo ground his teeth in disgust。
That night a bell…man went through the length and breadth of Mbanta proclaiming that the adherents of the new faith were thenceforth excluded from the life and privileges of the clan。
The Christians had grown in number and were now a small munity of men； women and children； self…assured and confident。 Mr。 Brown； the white missionary； paid regular visits to them。 〃When I think that it is only eighteen months since the Seed was first sown among you；〃 he said； 〃I marvel at what the Lord hath wrought。〃
It was Wednesday in Holy Week and Mr。 Kiaga had asked the women to bring red earth and white chalk and water to scrub the church for Easter； and the women had formed themselves into three groups for this purpose。 They set out early that morning； some of them with their water…pots to the stream； another group with hoes and baskets to the village earth pit； and the others to the chalk quarry。
Mr。 Kiaga was praying in the church when he heard the women talking excitedly。 He rounded off his prayer and went to see what it was all about。 The women had e to the church with empty waterpots。 They said that some young men had chased them away from the stream with whips。 Soon after； the women who had gone for red earth returned with empty baskets。 Some of them had been heavily whipped。 The chalk women also returned to tell a similar story。
〃What does it all mean？〃 aske