Missionary Chronology: South Africa

1737   Georg Schmidt Moravian Protestant pioneer missionary founds mission among 

           Khoikhoi

1744   Schmidt leaves for Europe after conflict with established Dutch Church      

1788   Certain Cape Christians devote time to slaves’ and Hottentots’ spiritual welfare 

1789   Rev H R van Lier gives sermon on necessity of preaching Gospel ‘to all creatures’

1791   Death of John Wesley, founder of Wesleyan Methodism, in Britain

1792   Moravian MS founded at Genadendal (Vale of Grace) Baviaanskloof

1795   First British Occupation of the Cape

1796   GMS and Scottish Missionary Societies formed

1799   LMS begins work in SA

1799   Dr J T Vanderkemp Dutch-born LMS missionary establishes MS at Bethelsdorp

1800   Mission work among Griqua in Little and Great Namaqualand

1801   William Anderson LMS founds MS at Aakaap and Klaarwater

           J M Kok and Wm Edwards to Dithakong with Daniell and others

1802   The traveller Borchers visits Edwards in the field

1803   Treaty of Amiens: Cape under Batavian Republic

1804   Erasmus Smith works among Khokhoi; in 1830s controversial minister to

           Voortrekkers – he married sister of Gerrit Maritz

1806   Second British Occupation of the Cape

           Effect of 1^st & 2^nd British Occupations – uncertainty for missions in-between

           LMS station at Warm Bath Great Namaqualand

1809   The traveller Burchell visits Klaarwater station

1808   Britain abolishes slave trade

1812   ‘The Black Circuit’: James Read protests against ill-treatment of Khoikhoi

           Rev John Campbell undertakes commission to visit SA stations

           ABM established

1813   Wesleyan Missionary Society formed in England

1816   Kuruman Mission founded northern Cape: missionaries Hamilton, Read etc

           Barnabas Shaw Wesleyan Methodist arrives in SA

           Lelifontein Mission to Nama people founded (Wesleyan)

1817   John Brownlee LMS arrives at the Cape on Alacrity; leaves the Society same year

1819   Dr John Philip and Rev John Campbell investigate state of LMS missions

           James Archbell Wesleyan starts at Rietfontein, later to

           Bechuana mission

1820   John Philip appointed Superintendant of LMS missions

           Wm Thomson, Glasgow Mission Society at Gwali later at Balfour in Kat River

           Settlement

           John Brownlee establishes Xhosa mission in Tyhume (or Chume) Valley

           SPG appoints W Wright to the mission work at Cape

1821   Robert Moffat, in Namaqualand from 1817, moves to Kuruman

           1822   William Threlfall Wesleyan arrives at Cape, works at Leliefontein

1823   Samuel Broadbent Methodist missionary at Leeudoringstad

           Wesleyan Methodists under William Shaw establish chain of MS

1824   Lovedale MS founded by GMS’s John Bennie and John Ross among the Ngqika     

           Moravians establish Shiloh north of Tyhume MS          

           BMS found MS at Dohne (Stutterheim)

           August: Shaka grants 35 miles of Natal’s coastline to Lieut Francis Farewell

1825   Capt. Allen Francis Gardiner visits Dingane in Zululand

           William Threlfall murdered in Great Namaqualand

1826   John Brownlee who rejoined LMS in 1825, founds MS on Buffalo River

           (King William’s Town)

           James Archbell, Wesleyan missionary, produces first Tswana grammar          

           Leopold Marquard first missionary of Dutch Reformed Church ordained – was

           already engaged in his work at Clanwilliam

1829   William Shaw visits Faku in May re mission to Amapondo

           Rhenish Mission Society sends missionaries on Charles Kerr

           Paris Evangelist Mission Society members arrive on same vessel with John Philip

1830   Wesleyan missionaries settle in Pondoland, Buntingville MS established.

           From 1830 Rhenish missionaries active in Western Cape and Namaqualand

1834   6^th Frontier War to 1835

           Berlin Missionary Society members arrive at Cape, found Bethany MS

1835   Six ABM missionaries arrive in Cape Town: Lindley, Wilson, Venable, Aldin

           Grout, Champion, Newton Adams – some to Ndebele people others to Natal

           Nov: 3 ABM missionaries travel to Natal taking Charles and James Brownlee sons

           of Rev John Brownlee as interpreters

1836   Start of the Great Trek

           Jakob Ludwig Döhne of BMS founds Bethel MS among Xhosa

           John Philip LMS takes Jan Tshatshu, a converted chief of the Ntinde, to England

           Both give evidence before Select Committee of House of Commons on Aborigines

           in British Settlements.

           Richard Birt becomes LMS missionary after hearing sermon by Jan Tshatshu in

           England

1837   April: whites at Natal, fearful of Dingane, fortify the port

           Americans working among Ndebele move to Natal: Henry Venable and Andrew

           Wilson establish MS at Hlangezwa near Dingane’s capital

           Francis Owen CMS arrives in Natal

1838   Feb: Massacre of Piet Retief and comrades

           March: ABM missionaries and Francis Owen leave Natal for Cape 

           July: Richard Birt of LMS sails for SA

           16 Dec: Battle of Blood River: Zulu power broken for a generation

1839   Adams and Lindley return to Natal; Lindley ministers to Voortrekkers

           Adams transfers from Umlazi to Amanzimtoti: founds Adams MS

           Richard Birt LMS at Umxelo

1840   March: Dingane killed

1841   David Livingstone to Kuruman MS, works with Robert Moffat and marries

           Moffat’s daughter Mary; later goes on explorations in Central Africa

1842   Conflict between British & Trekkers at Port Natal

           Hans Christian Knudsen of RMS arrives

1843   Berlin MS established at Emmaus Natal

           Natal annexed as a British colony

1844   Hans Paludan Smith Schreuder founds Norwegian mission in Zululand

1846   7^th Frontier War ‘War of the Axe’ to 1847

           Lovedale MS converted into a fort

           Jan Tshatshu  fought against the colony, took part in attack on Fort Peddie

1847   Lewis Grout (not related to Aldin Grout) of ABM founds station on Umsunduzi

           River Natal

           James Allison brings Christian Swazis to Natal, establishes Italeni then Edendale          

           Lindley ABM founds Inanda station Natal

           Adams to Amanzimtoti, founds Adams MS

           W C Holden begins independent mission among Zulus in Natal

1848   Richard Birt LMS founds Peelton MS named after Sir Robert Peel

           Ommund Oftebro of Norwegian Mission arrives in Zululand; also Larsen &

           Udland

1849   Dean Green builds Natal’s first Anglican Mission Church – in his own          

           garden

1850   8^th Frontier War ‘Mlanjeni War’ Battle of Boomah Pass 24 Dec

           Paris Evangelical Missionary Society operating eleven MS in Basutoland and

           north of Caledon River.

           ABM missionaries in SA include Adams, Aldin Grout, Lewis Grout, Bryant,

           McKinney, Rood, Marsh, Ireland, Abraham, Wilder, Tyler

           Bishop Gray (C of E) visits Natal

           11 separate missionary agencies operating in SA

1852   Jean Allard consecrates Pietermaritzburg’s first Roman Catholic Church; later

           works among Zulu and Basuto, also mission at Kimberley diamond fields

1853   End of 8^th Frontier War

           Refugees return to Peelton MS

           John William Colenso consecrated Anglican Bishop of Natal; undertakes       

           missionary work and education of Zulus

           3 Roman Catholic Vicariates established: Western under Griffith, Eastern under

           Devereux and Natal under Allard

1854   Sir George Grey becomes Governor of the Cape

           Hermannsburg founded by Hermannsburg Mission Society near Greytown

1855   Colenso brings 40 Anglican missionaries to Natal

1856   German Legion come to SA

1857   Great Xhosa cattle slaying, thousands die in resulting famine

           Tiyo Soga, Xhosa missionary and ex-Lovedale scholar, studies in

           Scotland, is ordained in Presbyterian Church; later returns to SA to work among

           Xhosa

           Mpande’s son Umkongo is placed at SPG MS Ekukanyeni for education

1858   Eli Wiggill Wesleyan Methodist missionary among Bechuana, converts to

           Mormonism

1859  Thomas Brockway missionary in charge of Peelton 1859-65, 1867-69, later to

          Madagascar

1860  Merensky & Grützner to work among the Swazis; later among Basuto & Bapedi

1861  Sir Philip Wodehouse succeeds Grey as Governor of the Cape

          Church at Mgwali, built by Tiyo Soga, opened on 23 July

          John Aitken Chalmers Presbyterian missionary at Mgwali later writes book on

          Soga

1864   Rev Dr Alexander Duff visits British Kaffraria; Convenor of Free Church of

           Scotland Mission Committee; pioneer of mission education

1865   John Colenso excommunicated after schism in Church of England in Natal

           S M Samuelson opens new SPG MS at St Paul’s near Kwamagwaza

1866   SPG rules that none of its missionaries should be subject to Colenso

1868   Tiyo Soga moves to Gcalekaland

1869   Zululand made a separate missionary Bishopric under Dr T E Wilkinson (to 1875)

1871   15 Nov Jubilee of Glasgow Missionary Society at Burnshill Kaffraria           

1874   Bishop Jolivet (Roman Catholic) succeeds Jean Allard in Natal Vicariate

1876   Otto Witt Swedish missionary arrives in Zululand

1877   Gcaleka war or Gaika rebellion to 1878

1879   Anglo-Zulu War (Isandlwana & Rorke’s Drift)

           George Smith SPG missionary vicar at Estcourt becomes chaplain to British

           forces; is present at battle of Rorke’s Drift

1880   Basuto War or Transkei rebellion to 1881

           Pinkerton of ABM to Gazaland, dies of fever 1883

1881   1st Anglo-Boer War (Majuba)

           Johannes Arndt founds Lutheran mission on Kimberley diamond fields

1882   Mariannhill Natal founded by Trappists (Roman Catholic)

           Schreuder of Church of Norway died; succeeded by Nils Astrup (ordained 1902)

1883   Salvation Army begins SA mission

           Bible translated into Zulu edited by SC Pixley of ABM

           Mariannhill promoted to Abbey status

1888   Jubilee of Peelton MS

1889   Church of Sweden Mission began mission work at Dundee Natal among mine

           workers

1892   SA Baptist Missionary Society founded

1893   H D Goodenough ABM starts work at Johannesburg, mission to mining area

           4 ABM missionaries to Mt Silinda, Eastern Rhodesia

1894   ABM at Chikore near Sabi River Rhodesia

1896   SA Compounds and Interior Mission to native labour on Witwatersrand goldfields

1899   2^nd Anglo-Boer War (Sieges of Ladysmith, Kimberley, Mafeking)

1903   Herero uprising disrupts missionary operations 

1906   Bambata Rebellion Natal

1910   Union of SA declared

           More than 30 missionary agencies operating in SA, 2000 missionaries; ratio of

           missionaries to native population: 1 to every 3,500

           World Missionary Conference, representatives of all Protestant missionary

           bodies assemble in Edinburgh

Missionary Oftebro and family

   

Abbreviations:

MS = Mission Station

LMS = London Missionary Society (Congregational)

CMS= Church Missionary Society (C of E)

BMS = Berlin Missionary Society

ABM = American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions

GMS = Glasgow Missionary Society (Presbyterian)

SPG = Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (C of E)