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And the said king says of himself that he alone is god of the earth； for which reason if it rains when he does not wish it to do so； or is too hot； he shoots arrows at the sky for not obeying him。 The Mashona of Southern Africa informed their bishop that they had once had a god； but that the Matabeles had driven him away。 This last was in reference to a curious custom in some villages of keeping a man they called their god。 He seemed to be consulted by the people and had presents given to him。 There was one at a village belonging to a chief Magondi； in the old days。 We were asked not to fire off any guns near the village； or we should frighten him away。 This Mashona god was formerly bound to render an annual tribute to the king of the Matabele in the shape of four black oxen and one dance。 A missionary has seen and described the deity discharging the latter part of his duty in front of the royal hut。 For three mortal hours； without a break； to the banging of a tambourine； the click of castanettes； and the drone of a monotonous song； the swarthy god engaged in a frenzied dance； crouching on his hams like a tailor； sweating like a pig； and bounding about with an agility which testified to the strength and elasticity of his divine legs。
The Baganda of Central Africa believed in a god of Lake Nyanza； who sometimes took up his abode in a man or woman。 The incarnate god was much feared by all the people； including the king and the chiefs。 When the mystery of incarnation had taken place； the man； or rather the god； removed about a mile and a half from the margin of the lake； and there awaited the appearance of the new moon before he engaged in his sacred duties。 From the moment that the crescent moon appeared faintly in the sky； the king and all his subjects were at the command of the divine man； or Lubare （god）； as he was called； who reigned supreme not only in matters of faith and ritual； but also in questions of war and state policy。 He was consulted as an oracle； by his word he could inflict or heal sickness； withhold rain； and cause famine。 Large presents were made him when his advice was sought。 The chief of Urua； a large region to the west of Lake Tanganyika； arrogates to himself divine honours and power and pretends to abstain from food for days without feeling its necessity； and； indeed； declares that as a god he is altogether above requiring food and only eats； drinks； and smokes for the pleasure it affords him。 Among the Gallas； when a woman grows tired of the cares of housekeeping； she begins to talk incoherently and to demean herself extravagantly。 This is a sign of the descent of the holy spirit Callo upon her。 Immediately her husband prostrates himself and adores her； she ceases to bear the humble title of wife and is called Lord； domestic duties have no further claim on her； and her will is a divine law。
The king of Loango is honoured by his people as though he were a god； and he is called Sambee and Pango； which mean god。 They believe that he can let them have rain when he likes； and once a year； in December； which is the time they want rain； the people come to beg of him to grant it to them。 On this occasion the king； standing on his throne； shoots an arrow into the air； which is supposed to bring on rain。 Much the same is said of the king of Mombasa。 Down to a few years ago； when his spiritual reign on earth was brought to an abrupt end by the carnal weapons of English marines and bluejackets； the king of Benin was the chief object of worship in his dominions。 He occupies a higher post here than the Pope does in Catholic Europe； for he is not only God's vicegerent upon earth； but a god himself； whose subjects both obey and adore him as such； although I believe their adoration to arise rather from fear than love。 The king of Iddah told the English officers of the Niger Expedition； God made me after his own image； I am all the same as God； and he appointed me a king。
A peculiarly bloodthirsty monarch of Burma； by name Badonsachen； whose very countenance reflected the inbred ferocity of his nature； and under whose reign more victims perished by the executioner than by the common enemy； conceived the notion that he was something more than mortal； and that this high distinction had been granted him as a reward for his numerous good works。 Accordingly he laid aside the title of king and aimed at making himself a god。 With this view； and in imitation of Buddha； who； before being advanced to the rank of a divinity； had quitted his royal palace and seraglio and retired from the world； Badonsachen withdrew from his palace to an immense pagoda； the largest in the empire； which he had been engaged in constructing for many years。 Here he held conferences with the most learned monks； in which he sought to persuade them that the five thousand years assigned for the observance of the law of Buddha were now elapsed； and that he himself was the god who was destined to appear after that period； and to abolish the old law by substituting his own。 But to his great mortification many of the monks undertook to demonstrate the contrary； and this disappointment； combined with his love of power and his impatience under the restraints of an ascetic life； quickly disabused him of his imaginary godhead； and drove him back to his palace and his harem。 The king of Siam is venerated equally with a divinity。 His subjects ought not to look him in the face； they prostrate themselves before him when he passes； and appear before him on their knees； their elbows resting on the ground。 There is a special language devoted to his sacred person and attributes； and it must be used by all who speak to or of him。 Even the natives have difficulty in mastering this peculiar vocabulary。 The hairs of the monarch's head； the soles of his feet； the breath of his body； indeed every single detail of his person； both outward and inward； have particular names。 When he eats or drinks； sleeps or walks； a special word indicates that these acts are being performed by the sovereign； and such words cannot possibly be applied to the acts of any other person whatever。 There is no word in the Siamese language by which any creature of higher rank or greater dignity than a monarch can be described； and the missionaries； when they speak of God； are forced to use the native word for king。
But perhaps no country in the world has been so prolific of human gods as India； nowhere has the divine grace been poured out in a more liberal measure on all classes of society from kings down to milkmen。 Thus amongst the Todas； a pastoral people of the Neilgherry Hills of Southern India； the dairy is a sanctuary； and the milkman who attends to it has been described as a god。 On being asked whether the Todas salute the sun； one of these divine milkmen replied； Those poor fellows do so； but I； tapping his chest； I； a god！ why should I salute the sun？ Every one； even his own father； prostrates himself before the milkman； and no one would dare to refuse him anything。 No human being； except another milkman； may touch him； and he gives oracles to all who consult him； speaking with the voice of a god。
Further； in India every king is regarded as little short of a present god。 The Hindoo law…book of Manu goes farther and says that even an infant king must not be despised from an idea that he is a mere mortal； for he is a great deity in human form。 There is said to have been a sect in Orissa some years ago who worshipped the late Queen Victoria in her lifetime as their chief divinity。 And to this day in India all living persons remarkable for great strength or valour or for supposed miraculous powers run the risk of being worshipped as gods。 Thus； a sect in the Punjaub worshipped a deity whom they called Nikkal Sen。 This Nikkal Sen was no other than the redoubted General Nicholson； and nothing that the general could do or say damped the ardour of his adorers。 The more he punished them； the greater grew the religious awe with which they worshipped him。 At Benares not many years ago a celebrated deity was incarnate in the person of a Hindoo gentleman who rejoiced in the euphonious name of Swami Bhaskaranandaji Saraswati； and looked uncommonly like the late Cardinal Manning； only more ingenuous。 His eyes beamed with kindly human interest； and he took what is described as an innocent pleasure in the divine honours paid him by his confiding worshippers。
At Chinchvad； a small town about ten miles from Poona in Western India； there lives a family of whom one in each generation is believed by a large proportion of the Mahrattas to be an incarnation of the elephant…headed god Gunputty。 That celebrated deity was first made flesh about the year 1640 in the person of a Brahman of Poona； by name Mooraba Gosseyn； who sought to work out his salvation by abstinence； mortification； and prayer。 His piety had its reward。 The god himself appeared to him in a vision of the night and promised that a portion of his； that is； of Gunputty's holy spirit should abide with him and with his seed after him even to the seventh generation。 The divine promise was fulfilled。 Seven successive incarnations； transmitted from father to son； manifested the light of Gunputty to a dark world。 The last of the direct line； a heavy…looking go