SCOTCH MISSIONS.
In the days of the Magomero Mission the Free Church of Scotland had
thought of Africa, and had sent out Dr. Stewart to see the country.
But at that time matters were very discouraging: the difficulties of
Mission work had been clearly demonstrated, besides it would have been
an invidious thing for another Church to send its missionaries into the
very spot then abandoned by the Church of England. Still, many Christians
would think of these heathen, and when Livingstone’s death seemed to call
his countrymen to their duty, the Church of Scotland and the Free Church
awoke to a feeling of their obligation to send the Gospel to Africa.
The first to move in the matter was the Rev. Dr. MacRae of Hawick, who
began to collect funds for a Central African Mission in connection
with the Church of Scotland, and asked Mr. Young, R.N., to lead the
expedition. In a short time the Free Church also entered heartily into
the idea of sending a Mission to Central Africa, and appealing to
certain liberal and wealthy members, soon secured the necessary funds,
and applied also to Mr. Young. The naval officer made the sensible
suggestion that a sort of Scotch National Mission should be tried, but
this idea was not entertained. Dr. MacRae had not yet collected the
necessary funds, and when the Free Church party started, all he could do
was to send out one agent along with it.
In April, 1875, Mr. Henderson, the pioneer engaged by the Church of
Scotland to go to Lake Nyassa, was introduced to the Foreign Committee by
Dr. MacRae, who then addressed him in these words:—“You will be placed
in circumstances in which you will feel that you are an exile from home,
and separate from your brethren. In the path of duty in that far land
you will encounter difficulties, privations, and hazards, which it will
require no ordinary courage and patience to sustain and conquer; and you
will be brought into contact with scenes most revolting to the sentiments
of enlightened nature.”
On arriving in Africa the Free Church missionaries pressed on to Lake
Nyassa, and settled at a station which they called Livingstonia. Mr.
Henderson started from this Lake and passed down by Zomba till he reached
Ndilande, near which he chose a station, which was named Blantyre, after
Livingstone’s birthplace.
Other agents for the Blantyre settlement were selected in the course of
the following year, when the Directors appointed a medical missionary,
Dr. Macklin, and five artisans. Among the latter Mr. John Buchanan was
enrolled as gardener. The purpose before the mind of the Church is well
explained in its _Missionary Record_ as follows:—
“The Mission is industrial and evangelical, designed to be a nucleus of
advancing centres of Christian life and civilisation to the Nyassa and
surrounding region. It is the first mission of the Church of Scotland
to the continent of Africa, her first contribution of Christian love
to the people who have been for ages the miserable victims of blood
and violence. It is the first step which she has taken to make some
reparation to the African people for the unnumbered wrongs which our
forerunners perpetrated upon them.” “It was observed with surprise
and regret that there were no ordained ministers among the party, but
the Directors hoped in the course of a year to send out at least one
clergyman and two or three more artisans and teachers.”
On 16th May, 1876, at a meeting held in Edinburgh, this party were
commended to the care of the Almighty. On 16th June, they reached
Capetown, and about a week later, they found themselves at the ultimate
limits of civilisation; and after they had travelled as far as they could
by the ordinary mail steamers, they chartered a Swedish vessel called
the Ansgarius. On 9th August, they reached Quilimane. Mr. Henderson, who
had gone to wait for them at the mouth of the Zambeze, now received a
message requesting him to meet them at Mazaro, which the party reached in
the beginning of September. Starting from Mazaro on 16th September, they
arrived at Makukani’s on 7th October, after a long journey, during which
they were never all free from fever. It was 23rd October before they
reached the spot chosen for the Mission. At Blantyre there was a native
village, but as its chief had been recently killed by Makukani, all the
houses were deserted (41).
By the time they reached their destination some had suffered severely,
and were unable to walk. In those days a large part of each man’s
time was spent in bed. In this condition they were cut off from all
communication with their friends. No letters could be sent home. One
of their first opportunities for writing was in April, 1877, when Mr.
Henderson left the Mission.
It was a long time before the party regained health; but about the
middle of 1877, we find letters reporting considerable progress. One of
these says:—“Mr. Stewart has succeeded in making out a good line for a
water course. This will bring the water into the station, and serve for
irrigation as well. A large stream is not necessary just now, but Mr.
Stewart says twenty cubic feet per minute, or even thirty, can be got.
This work, however, will not be begun till the houses are finished.” Mr.
Stewart was a civil engineer who, instead of spending his Indian furlough
in rest, went and engaged in mission work in Africa.
Mr. Buchanan, writing in August, 1877, says:—“Within the last two months
Blantyre has got a very different appearance from what it formerly had.
Our station is laid out in the form of a square—100 yards long and 55
yards broad. A road 11 feet wide goes down both sides, and across both
ends. In the centre is a circle of 32 feet diameter. A road 12 feet
wide goes down the centre. From the centre, at the east end, two roads
take their start. One 400 yards long, and 3 yards broad, runs in a
south-easterly direction to the stream where we get our water. Another
1000 yards long, and 4 yards broad, leads to the north-east in the
direction of Malunga’s village; the direction also to Pimbé. Another
road, 700 yards long, and 4 yards wide, leaves the centre at the west
end, and leads in the direction of Makukani’s and the Shiré. A fourth
road from the south side goes to the rice ground. 60 yards from the
starting-point of the first two roads is one crossing from the one to the
other, and forming the base of a triangle. In the centre of this triangle
is a mound 20 feet in diameter, in which at the proper season I shall
plant a few of the Eucalyptus globulus. This angle is all I intend for a
flower-garden, along with some small spots besides these. Should flowers
do well this first season, it can be easily extended in the following.
On both sides of the square houses are being built. Plans for eight are
laid out, three are already built. They are after what is called the
Indian bungalow style; their dimensions are 30 feet by 20, with a veranda
of 5 feet all round. From the level of the floor to the wall-plate is
10 feet, the perpendicular of the couples 7 feet 6 inches. The frame is
put up of posts from 4 inches diameter, 45 inches apart; bamboo is tied
on horizontally 8 inches apart; sides, end, and roof are thatched with
grass. The walls are plastered outside and inside with mud, and finished
with a whitewashing of lime. This is got by burning shells, which the
natives gather and bring for sale.”
_Relations between the Two Missions._—Although the Church of Scotland
and the Free Church have differences at home, the missionaries sent to
Africa felt it to be their interest, as well as their duty, to overlook
such quarrels. The Missions needed each other’s assistance in various
ways, and such assistance was freely given. Those upon the spot saw that
the labours of both Missions were in the same cause. It takes a long time
to lay the simple Gospel message before the natives in their own tongue.
If a minister were to begin by preaching to these poor negroes about
theories that separate good Christians at home, he would be a miserable
trifler. We believe that one missionary got a hint from Scotland about
“distinctive principles,” but he replied that he could not find a native
word to express these differences, and that he did not care to invent one.
The Missions joined together in the transport of provisions and the
making of roads. On many occasions the absence of one settlement would
have been a terrible calamity to the other. The missionaries were
dependent on supplies received from home. After they ordered anything,
a whole year would elapse before they received it, and occasionally
a steamer would sink with their goods. But for mutual help, the
missionaries would have been often reduced to extremities. The Church
of Scotland had the healthier station, and the Free Church men often
went there to recruit. At Blantyre it was possible to do a great deal of
work, both mental and physical, without suffering; but at Livingstonia,
Europeans had to be exceedingly careful. Fever was ever lurking, ready
to make them a prey. They had to be on the shores of the Lake for easy
communication, but though they there enjoyed a beautiful view of the
Nyassa, they missed the bracing influence of the mountainous regions.
_Threatened War._—On July 16th, 1877, there were alarming rumours of an
incursion of the Mangoni (Maviti). It was stated that they had crossed
the Chiri; and the natives from all parts were fleeing to the hills in
great terror.
This country had been the scene of a constant succession of wars. In
the time of the Magomero Mission, the Yao drove the Anyasa out of
the Blantyre region. After this the Anyasa, under the Magololo, were
continually making small attacks on the Yao, while the latter were
constantly retaliating. Then the Mangoni appeared on the scene, and
attacked both the Yao and the Anyasa. They killed all that made any
resistance, and captured such as could not escape. The Yao ascended their
mountains, the Anyasa fled to islands in the Chiri, while all their food
and property fell into the hands of the Mangoni. The Yao suffered most.
Many of them were surprised and killed, and those that escaped could only
look down with sad hearts from the tops of mountains upon the invaders,
who had possession of their wives and children, and feasted upon their
crops. It was
“The good old rule, the simple plan,
That he should take who has the power,
That he should keep who can.”
Although the Yao had but lately profited by the maxim, it was none the
less bitter when applied to themselves.
When the Mangoni had consumed all the crops they withdrew. The Yao then
came down from their fastnesses and sowed another crop, but as soon as
it became valuable, the Mangoni appeared again. Others might sow, but
they would reap. This process was carried on year after year. Some
of the Mangoni settled for a short time on the Blantyre side of the
Chiri. Yao chiefs were quite dispirited. But while matters were at the
darkest, the missionaries appeared on the scene. A Yao headman said to
me, “The English are very clever. We could not tell them that we were all
dying—that the Mangoni were killing us, but they knew themselves and came
to help us.”
On July 23rd, the missionaries held a meeting with Kapeni and Malunga,
regarding the defence of the district, and the day after they began to
load cartridges with slugs, and to make bricks for a mud fort. In all
quarters of the country the natives seemed terribly alarmed. From distant
Zomba there came an embassy to tell the Mission of the death of the
former king or chief. From Kumpama and Mkanda messages also came, and
it was clear that every native chief was eager to secure the friendship
of the Mission at that crisis. It was an anxious time for the Europeans
themselves. They thought it necessary to institute target practice. The
Mangoni being a branch of the Zulus, were no contemptible foe. The danger
happily passed away, the Mangoni returned without attacking a single
village; the occurrence was attributed to the presence of the white
men, and all the natives looked upon the Europeans as their protectors.
From the time that the missionaries made their appearance, until now,
the Mangoni have not come at their wonted season. “They were afraid to
interfere with the friends of the white men.”