User talk:DonaldRichardSands/Adventist history, Malawi, Africa

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The Ethiopian Movement

The Ethiopian movement among the churches of South

Africa is rapidly losing its force as a religious propaganda, according to Bishop Hartzell, but as a movement to secure native independence, both of thought and action, it has come to stay, and it will have to be reckoned with in politics, in commerce, and in church life. There has been a remarkable development of religious activity since the war. The Wesleyans have erected over two hundred new

churches in the Transvaal alone.

An Interdenominational Conference of Missionaries in Nyassaland

February 13, 14, a mission conference was held in Blantyre. Representatives attended from all societies working in Nyassaland. The meeting was called by the governor to inquire into the best way of distributing impartially a grant of money made by the imperial government for native education. The Livingstonia mission was represented by its well-known superintendent, Dr. Laws. The heads of the other missions present were Rev. Dr. Hetherwick, of the Blantyre mission; Rev. W. Murray, of the Dutch Reformed Church missions, Mr. A. Hamilton, of the Zambesi industrial missions; Mr. Oliver Deeath, of the Nyassa industrial mission; a representative of the White Fathers' Catholic mission; and the writer, representing our own mission.

While it was not my intention to apply for a part in the grant, I felt it to be a favorable opportunity to meet the missionaries and the governor, and to represent our work among them as the way might open. This is the first time that Seventh-day Adventists have been recognized officially, or otherwise at all favorably. In the past our mission has been heard of only when some trouble or suspicion arose regarding its work.

On the day preceding the meeting with the governor, all the missionaries were invited by the superintendent of Blantyre mission to meet there to discuss the questions under consideration. The discussion turned largely on the basis and aim of native education. All appeared to agree and assume that the great aim in all missions is evangelization through teaching of Bible truth. While the common branches are taught quite systematically following an outline, or code, yet each mission follows its own plans for religious instruction, without interference from the government or any other mission.

Whether native education should be built on the idea of making the European teacher or the native teacher the main factor was a question which received much attention. Dr. Laws and others expressed the conviction that the native teacher must be the great factor, under supervision of the European. This conviction has pressed itself upon me continually. So in our own mission we encourage the training of native teachers, and put them to work as fast as they are ready. We now have twelve native teachers and four assistants. There is scarcely any limit to the number who might be employed if the teachers can be trained and their wages provided. Those now at work receive an average of 1 lb, 2s 5d a month with food. The usual wage paid teachers for the first year is 1 lb a month. This amount is increased from year to year as the teacher gains in experience and ability. As a rule not more than 2lb 5s is paid to any native teacher. As these teachers are able after a short training to teach the simple lessons required by their own people better than a foreigner, I feel that it should be our aim to train as many of them as possible. I felt impressed that I should endeavor to meet the governor personally, and I prayed that the way might be opened for me to do so. My prayer was answered. After the conference was over, and all the missionaries had retired, I returned, and inquired if the governor could be seen. I was directed to a cottage. Knocking at the door, to my great surprise the governor himself opened it, and invited me in. Every kindness was shown me, and opportunity given to speak of our mission. With me the conviction is quite strong that such opportunities should be seized, trusting God to impress favorably "the powers that be."

While meeting the missionaries who have given their lives to Africa, and labored many years to give the Bible to the African people, I earnestly pray that the third angel's message may be endowed with such power from God that it will reach the hearts of the missionaries as well as of the native Africans.

Malamulo Mission, Cholo, Nyassaland

Tobacco and Adventists

When Adventists purchased the Cholo Mission from Seventh-day Baptists, the SD Baptists retained the tobacco crops for a year or two. Tobacco continues to be a very important export crop for Malawi. Does this affect Adventist rapport with government leaders?

Racial equality in British Central Africa

David Clement Scott and Alexander Hetherwick held to equality concepts with the natives not shared by other colonists and missionaries.

Until the 1850s this belief in the oneness of humanity was widespread; it was a powerful influence on many, though not all, evangelical Protestants on both sides of the Atlantic. p. 87

Where did Adventist missionaries stand on these issues?

Thomas H. Branch, early African-American missionary to Central Africa.

British Central Africa

PLAINFIELD MISSION, CHOLO.— Our days are full of work for the Master. There is, indeed, no place found for idlers here. The Lord has surely gone out before us, and we are doing all we can to follow in his leading.

For the past year we have had, and just now are having, some peculiar ex- periences with the missionaries of a cer- tain denomination. There are several large villages within eight miles of Blantyre, the headquarters of this es- tablished church. The chiefs of two of these villages, having heard of the Word of God as it is taught here at our mis- sion, desired us to send them teachers, saying they would build the schoolhouse. I went to see these chiefs, and they and their people all said, " Yes; we want teachers from America" (for so this mission is known and called). But as we had no land there on which to carry forward the work, I had to go and get permission from the government. This I did gladly, and received a permit. The papers, however, could not be forwarded to me for a week. In the meantime the minister of the'—— mission heard of our plans to open a school so near to his mission. He went to the government, had the permit revoked, and had word sent to the chiefs that if they wished a school, they must get their permission and their teachers from the —— mission.

Strange to say, both of these chiefs and their head men refused to receive their teachers from that mission, and a number of the men and their families have come here and built their houses, and say that they must hear for them- selves what the Book of God says,

This denomination, with its sthools and books, and a fine corps of teachers and workers, has been here thirty years, and of course they and the government work together. It is not because we are Americans, but on account of the stir the natives have made over the Sabbath and other kindred truths, that has brought on the difficulty. But the mes- sage, the work, the people, and the work- ers are all God's, and this message, according to his word and his commis- sion, is to go to all the world.

All the different missionaries in Brit- ish Central Africa held a joint meeting, and agreed that if this Seventh-day Ad- ventist mission did not come in and join with them, and work as they worked, we should not he allowed to use the government land for school purposes. (See Comity among faith groups) I knew nothing of the time of this meet- ing. While they were gathered in ses- sion, a native sent me word that near a certain mission there was land for sale. I went immediately to see about it, and arrived at this mission station just as the missionary and his coworkers were coming from that meeting. He seemed out of sorts to see me, whereas before he had been very friendly when meeting me or any member of my fa'mily. I stated to.him my business, and he said, " Yes; I have the land for sale, -but can not sell it to you, unless you will agree to come in and work as we do." And not waiting to hear what I had to say, he continued: " We have just come from a meeting of the missionaries from dif- ferent missions, and all agreed to, shut your mission out, unles^ you come our way." He even refvised to show me the land. I told the good brother that I had a definite and important mission to give a certain message, and would gladly appreciate it if all professed Christians would join in and help, but it was im- possible for me to change and go their way.

Elder Hyatt has advised me to keep a sharp lookout for a good location, and to buy when such a place can be found. I know that the Lord will provide a place, that the work may go forward.

The work has never looked more promising since we came than now., We have a few boys who are staying by the work. There are two who before com- ing here had received respectively eight- een and twelve shillings a month as overseers. Over two years ago they came to us, and engaged to work at hoeing tor one shilling and sixpence a month, that they might learn the Word of God. They have both been converted and baptized. They are good, trusty boys. I am working hard with them and others daily, that they may become workers for the Lord.

Our native preacher and worker, Brother Malinki, is doing excellent work, and is learning rapidly. He is of great service to the work, as he understands and speaks six different languages. He has a very good knowledge of English, and Mabel is giving him lessons, so that he can understand the English Bible cor- rectly.

There is one way by which we judge many of our present hoys to be quite different from some of those who were here long ago: those that are married have .their wives here with them, and build their own houses, and all are busy making their gardens. I have told all the boys that if they wished to stay here and learn, those that had wives must bring them. This is having a good ef- fect on them. They stay longer, and are more attentive to their work and their studies.

If all is well, I expect to go down to the meeting to be held in Cape Town in January. I hope to get the work in such condition that I can leave it with Brother Malinki and my family. But I can not tell how it will be, on account of the native uprising in Natal. This dreadful unrest is said to be due to the teaching of the Afro-American mission- aries, under the name of the Ethiopian movement —"Africa for the African."

We are of good courage, and are try- ing to do all that we can to give the message, and to present Jesus to the people. My wife's health has failed, but she keeps on, trying to keep up her part of the work. Mabel and the boys are very well. I think that my health was never better since coming to Africa.

THOMAS H. BRANCH.

Other African Americans to serve as missionaries to Africa:

• Edward Jones 1807-1865