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CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY ARCHIVE

Section IV: Africa Missions

Part 16: South Africa Mission, 1836-1843, Kenya Mission, 1841-1888 and Nyanza Mission, 1876-1882

Part 17: Kenya Mission, 1880-1934

Part 18: Kenya Mission, 1880-1934

Part 19: Taganyika Mission, 1900-1934, Nyanza Mission, 1880-1886 and Rwanda Mission, 1933-1934

 

Introduction to Part 18

This part concludes the Original Papers for Kenya, 1901-1934 begun in Part 17. It also includes the Précis Books, 1881-1934.

The Original Papers consist of incoming papers sent by the missionaries and mission secretary to headquarters in London. They include letters, journals, some Annual Letters, reports and minutes and give a good overview of work in the mission.

Letters: Letters from J Alfred Wray, F Burt (Secretary of the East Africa Mission) and A W McGregor re missionary possibilities around Fort Smith in Kikuyu; from the Bishop of Mombasa, W E Parker, Albert R Steggall, Mrs E K Wray, V V Verbi, J W Rindall, Harry K Binns, R A Maynard, D Hooper; Mr E Parker to the Secretary in London and to the Bishop of Mombasa re false accusations made against him; from J Heselwood, A W McGregor, T W Crawford; from Irene H Barnes, K St Aubyn Rogers, W E Taylor, J E Hamshere with reports on the mission and on itinerations. Letters also included are from A E Clarke, H Lankester, R S Heywood (Bishop of Mombasa), R K Shepherd, Miss M L Mason, S A Martin, W A D Whibley, J C Hirst, J Britton, W A Pitt-Pitts, W E Owen.

Reports: Report of the Frere Town Executive Committee; report on CMS work by the Bishop of Mombasa; on the women’s conference in Frere Town and on the Annual Mission to Women in Mombasa; report of a meeting of the Native Agents Sub Committee; report of an itineration from Jilore by J Rosengrove Deimler, native pastor; report on the inspection of the Kilindini Mixed School; account of a visit to Kilimanjaro by J Alfred Wray; accounts of the East Africa Freed Slave Settlement; first report of the Africa Inland Mission; report of the directors on the East Africa Industries Limited; missionary probation reports; report of the United Missionary Conference at Nairobi; review of work in Wusi by V V Verbi since the beginning of the mission work in 1905; reports on the Taita, Taveta and Ukamba districts; the second annual report of the Kyambu and District Chaplaincy; an account of an itineration in Digo by E W Wright; report of the Kikuyu Sub-Committee; an account by the Mombasa Medical Officer of a safari in Digo; the first annual report of the Alliance High School by G A Grieve, the Principal; report of CMS Educational Work in Kenya; report from H Leakey about an earthquake in the Highland District of Kenya; report of the proceedings of the Mombasa Diocesan Synod and on the finances of the Kenya mission; report on the Kikuyu crisis and re the European staff at Maseno; report on the conference on Christian Education in East Africa; report by W A Pitt-Pitts on the Kavirondo stations; annual report by G A Grieve on the Alliance High School, Kikuyu, letters and reports on the Maseno Hospital trial; notes on an informal conference of the Race Relations Committee and meetings of the Committee.

Miscellaneous: Issues of The Taveta Chronicle; medical certificates; estimate for Frere Schools and for Taveta New House; map of Dabida; hymns in the Kidabida dialect; a photo of the ladies house at Chaangambe; printed autobiography of Rev J R Deimler, native pastor at Rabai; extract from Awake; issues of The Mombasa Diocesan Magazine; a newspaper cutting on the new Memorial Cathedral; list of native missionaries and Biblewomen employed in the mission; photos of local girls and boys in the Nmkaa Hills; newscuttings from the African Standard; photos of elderly freed slaves at Frere Town; an issue of Hearing and Doing; newspaper cutting re lepers in Mombasa; plans for proposed new Mission Hall; photos of the coffee plantation in Wusi, the CMS station begun in 1905; a pamphlet on the Kikuyu scheme of federation; plans for Buxton High School; a pamphlet on proposals for an alliance of the missionary societies in British East Africa with a copy of the constitution; a copy of the supplement to The Bombay C M Gleaner.


Included also are: a list of CMS properties in the British East Africa mission; a pamphlet on Christianity and Native Labour in the British Empire; a printed despatch to the Governor of the East Africa Protectorate relating to native labour; a memo by H R Tate, the Provincial Commissioner, re the establishment of native catechists among native tribes; a pamphlet on the education policy of the CMS Kenya colony; newscuttings re the ordination of native clergy; recommendations for the reorganisation of the Kenya mission; letters re negotiations for the purchasing of the Maseno Estate near Kisumu and the sale of the Frere Town land; a memo by Rev F H Wright on the need for more work among the Luo women and girls; correspondence on the proposed sale of Frere Town property; newspaper cuttings re native education; correspondence re female circumcision; memo from A de V Wade, Chief Native Commissioner to natives in Nyanza re the digging for gold by Europeans; correspondence re the opening up of Central Kavirondo for gold mining and re the African Church Council policy; a list of schools including Government Aided Schools.

Minutes: Minutes of the Mombasa Executive Committee; of the annual Women’s Conference; of the Educational Sub Committee; of the Medical Board; of the Executive Committee; the CMS conference at Mombasa and the Women’s Conference; the annual meeting of the Africa Church Council; of the first Mombasan Diocean conference in August 1921; of the Kavirondo Missionary Committee, the Coast Missionary Committee, Highlands Missionary Committee, the Alliance High School meeting and Sub-Committee on Education plus minutes of the Sub-Committee on the Divinity School and the CMS Kenya Board of Education.

Annual Letters: Annual Letters from missionaries including Dr R R Shepherd, Miss A L Barnett, Miss A M Jackson, Rev A E Clarke, Miss F J Deedy, Miss E Mayor, Rev K St Aubyn Rogers, E A Martin, Rev J A Wray, D Hooper, S A Martin, Miss F J Austin, Miss S A Dixon, George W Wright, W McGregor, Harry K Binns, Rev B Laight, J E Hamshere, Miss R M Wyatt, Mr V V Verbi, Miss M L Mason, E C Wilde, H E Rogers.
Also included are the Précis Books for 1881-1934. A printed précis was prepared for each meeting of the Group Committee. It comprised number, date, writer, date received, summary of contents, proposals for committee action to be taken and/or secretary’s remarks.

The Précis Books include topics such as: a description of work at Mpwapwa by Mr H Cole; letter from Dr J Kirk re troubles in Mombasa; an account by J R Streeter of a journey in the Giriama country; a letter requesting more workers at FrereTown; journal of Rev W S Price on a journey to Shimba; A D Shaw describing his impressions of Rabai; F W Lane writing re plans for dealing with freed slaves wishing to leave Frere Town; summary of a report on the mission by Rev J W Handford and the contents of his journal; a summary of letters from Bishop Parker and of conferences held; letter from D A L Hooper re the Chief of Nassa; J Roscoe re news of fighting between the Wakamba and the Wamegi; A M MacKay re the revolution in Buganda; J C Price re the destruction of the Mpwapwa Mission House; summary of a report on Frere Town sent by Bishop Tucker; Dr G Wright’s summary of his medical work; J A Wray’s explanation of the Taita District; summary of a journal by Rev G K Baskerville; report by Frere Town Finance Committee on the state of Frere Town; a report of work in Nassa by Archdeacon Walker; summary of a letter from Dr E J Baxter describing the famine; summary of minutes of the Frere Town Finance Committee; memo of an interview between Bishop Tucker and the Secretaries regarding the government of the mission.

More items include: a summary of a letter from Bishop Peel re the Church, a proposed home for ladies and CMS staff; a letter from the Bishop of Mombasa re Industrial Work; a letter from F Burt, Mombasa re the health of lady missionaries at Chaangombe; report on the mission stations by the Bishop of Mombasa; information provided by J R Deimler on the African Worker’ Council; the Frere Town Divinity School Report; information on native agents at Taveta; summary of the minutes of the Executive Committee; resolutions of the Women’s Conference; report on the political situation by the Bishop of Mombasa; letters re the policy of the Mission and the development of Industrial Instruction; Canon K St Aubyn Rogers re Buxton High School; Rev G W Wright re work in the Digo country; Archdeacon J E Hamshere re the German missions around Kilimanjaro; letters from the Bishop of Mombasa; report on the constitution of the Kikuyu Alliance; report of work in Kavirondo by Archdeacon Owen; report of Canon Rogers of Nairobi re medical work, new buildings, and the Alliance College; memo from V V Verbi re Wusi station; minutes of the United Divinity School Committee meeting; minutes of Kaloleni Hospital Committee; letter from E Carey Francis re Government grants to Maseno Central Schools; letter from W W Pitt-Pitts re increase of compensation to Frere Town tenants; letter re the organisation of a United African Church.

EXTRACTS

Reel 360 Original Papers 1901 Extract from The Taveta Chronicle January 1901

 “…. In the British East Africa Protectorate the path of the average native seems rougher in the present than it was in the old days. Despite the introduction of a railway and the clearing of roads, human transport is apparently at a premium, and recently the authorities have resorted to the miserable expedient of seizing men in the streets of Mombasa and elsewhere, and compelling them to serve as porters. This may sometimes appear to be a necessary proceeding, but we do not believe that, though it may tide over a temporary difficulty, it really tends to progress in the country. It might surprise some parties if they could understand how much the difficulty of obtaining labour without compulsion is created and increased by the bullying by askari of the people employed, and, more rarely, by the rascality of pay-clerks appropriating some of their pay….

The word “Ngasu” in the Taveta dialect is equivalent to marriage and all its attendant feasts.

Notwithstanding, or, perhaps, in consequence of the fact that the Wataveta are polygamous, marriage with them is an important event. The betrothal, too, is a long, tedious and somewhat expensive affair, and a period of several years generally elapses after the first advances have been made before a man can win his wife.

A native of these sylvan retreats wishing to wed chooses a girl of from eight to ten years of age (after the two middle incisors of her lower jaw have been extracted) and arranges all the preliminaries with her father. The child is not consulted, though she is usually presented with a leaden bracelet, which, if worn, shows she is not averse to the union…

Some two or three years afterwards, the girl is operated upon in a manner similar to that performed by the Masai. With the Ndighiri clan, she is placed in a separate abode and may see nobody, except her mother who waits on her, for a period extending from two to ten months. When she has recovered, it is customary among all the clans for the father, to give a small feast. This is called the “mothers” ngasu….”

Reel 360 Original Papers 1901 Extracts from The Taveta Chronicle July 1901

… We have but to describe two more festivals, and our task is finished. One is the feast of circumcision, and the other the feast of the New Year, a sort of harvest-thanksgiving, called “Izumu”.

The former usually takes place every two or three years, if there is a sufficient number of the youths ready to be operated upon. There is no rule regarding age, but owing to the fact that a boy may not be circumcised until his father or guardian has held a feast, called “Monyori”, (which has already been described), the elder sons, at any rate, generally have to wait until after they have reached the age of puberty…

On the appointed day the boys are taken to a lonely spot in the woods, where the operation is performed according to Masai custom. It is a point of honour with the lads to utter no sound during the somewhat painful task, and anyone failing in this respect is heartily jeered at by his companions…. After four days seclusion, they are allowed to leave their couches, and now appear before their admiring friends no longer as youths, but as men. To commemorate the occasion, their names are changed, and they wear fierce-looking head dresses, made of innumerable feathers of the weaver-bird, whilst in their hands they carry bows, and arrows with blunted tips…

The festivities of the New Year are supposed to be held in August, after the crops have been gathered in. Every Mtaveta is expected to take part in this feast, and, with the exception of the chiefs, who must appear in the cloth garments presented to them at their election, the only coverings that may be worn must be made of Colobus-monkeys’ skin, whilst the head-gears are of ostrich feathers. Much dancing and blowing of horns is indulged in by the men, the women having to content themselves with being spectators. Oxen and goats are slaughtered, large pots of wine and beer are broached, and all make merry…”

Reel 364 Original papers 1906 Extract from an article entitled “Gleanings from Kikuyu” in The Mombasa Diocesan Magazine April 1906

“One of the most interesting tribes in these parts is the Wandorobo. They are a nomadic people, therefore know nothing of cultivation, or possessing land. Passing through the bamboo forest one sees a narrow cutting at the side of the road, this is no elephant’s tract: following it down a little way one will come upon a group of roughly built grass huts, inhabited or not, just as it happens; it is a Wandorobo village and very likely deserted, and the inhabitants moved to another quarter. They are game hunters by nature and chiefly of elephants. They barter skins and ivory for their daily needs…

Superstition is very strong in most of these up-country tribes. A native will dip his finger, in the ashes of a dead fire, and mark his forehead and nose, before hunting, as a safe-guard against being charged by a wild beast….

Often one meets on the way, two or three natives carrying a burning piece of timber in their hands, when having once got fire by rubbing wood not flint together, they will keep a piece burning for days and weeks, while they move rapidly from place to place, ready at any moment to make fire….”

Reel 366 Original papers 1910 Annual Letter from Dr T W W Crawford, Embu. November 1910

Upon our arrival the natives came out in hundreds to greet us and give us a welcome. The local Chief showed his friendly attitude by bringing us a present of a sheep. We had to live in our tent for a month until a small corrugated iron house could be put together for our accommodation. The people swarmed about us whenever we appeared and every movement we made seemed to be of great interest to them, as we are the first Europeans to live amongst this tribe.

The Embu are a branch of the Kikuyu tribe and inhabit the slopes and foot hills on the North East side of Mount Kenia. They resisted the advance of the government force and every effort to get into touch with them failed; and some expeditions sent in to make terms with them were repulsed with the loss of several men, until a punitive expedition was sent in about 4 years ago and this resulted in their complete subjugation….

The work has opened out in a most encouraging manner & from the very first a great interest has been awakened. The local chief has shown a most friendly attitude towards our work and seems to realise that we have come to help his people. The attitude has been strengthened by the fact that after our arrival he was stricken down with a virulent form of fever.

We did our utmost to help him, but in spite of it he did not seem to gain ground and upon investigation we found that he was not taking our medicines regularly but that the witch doctors were gaining an influence over him in his weakness. I suppose every missionary in this part of Africa, certainly every Medical Missionary, sooner or later must feel the opposition of these people. The result of their interference was that finally the Chief had a relapse and was on the point of death.

Then following the cruel custom of the tribe he was carried out of his village to die in the thickets lest his ghost should forever haunt the village after his decease. The news reached us just in time for us to save him. He was carried on the hospital stretcher to a mission hospital hut and restoratives administered. Day by day he has gradually regained strength until now he has been completely restored to his people and work again…”

Reel 373 Original Papers 1922 Extract from a report by C H Brennan, Medical Officer, October 1922

… I made a safari on the Coast south of Mombasa to enquire into the medical conditions of that area and the general health of the Natives there.

The following is an accurate daily diary and an account of the prevalent diseases seen by me.

19.9.22 Tiwi In the morning I was astonished to find that my camping ground was black with people, and before 7am I am sure up to 300 people had congregated. Work went on from 7am until 5pm. 104 injections of NAB were given, and possibly about 400 cases of general diseases were treated.

The medical condition of the people of this area is nothing else but rotten. They are crawling with scabies, blasted with Yaws and crippled with chronic rheumatism. Ulcers and Bronchitis also add to the toll of lowered efficiency and lessened output. This is only the edge of the picture: what must it be like with the veil off. I have seen children lying in dark corners in the houses, weeping their young lives away while they rot with ulcers, adults lying wasting of some chronic disease, hoping, each day, for their only release which is death. Here I saw one man with what he called “UMTI”. His right arm and most of his right chest was covered with a stinking ulcer. I gave him 9 grams of NAB and HG to rub locally. On my return journey this man was waiting for me on the road and proudly showed me his arm and chest. They were now healed as if by magic. It must be only a few times in life we are allowed to experience the thrill of pleasure an incident like this affords.

20-9-22 Gazi Arrived here about noon. This is a definite village, and for a native village, comparatively speaking is very clean and healthy. The natives about here are also healthier and I did not see a great number of sick. The East African Estates have some huts near the village which are badly kept and dangerously insanitary….”

Reel 373 Original Papers 1923 Memo by Fred H Wright of the Kavirondo Missionary Committee on the need for work among the Luo (Nilotic Kavirondo) Women and Girls

At present no organized work exists to meet the special needs of the women and girls in the Nilotic Kavirondo Reserve….

It is estimated that between six and seven thousand Luo women and girls are keenly anxious to be taught. This estimate is a conservative one, but whatever it is, there is practically nothing being done for them and we have not one native woman teacher.

Yet the need is very great. Young men who would prefer to marry a Christian girl are driven by force of circumstances to marry pagans or catechumen; while the whole standard of Christian morals and ethics is kept at a low level by our neglect of this most influential section of African society, the women folk. Young men who have been converted in the Towns, returning to their homes in the Reserve, find the temptations put before them by their mothers, aunts and girl friends, so great that in some cases they fly back to the Towns to escape the continual nagging to take a heathen wife.

Christian parents keenly anxious that their daughters should rise above the naked animal like appearance of their neighbours are continually begging us to provide a girl’s boarding school, while Church Councils weary us with re-iterations of this need.

And the Luo women (in spite of their absolute nudeness) are very good material and make a fine type of Christian. They have always had a large measure of independence, mixing with the men almost as equals, and have probably more influence in the tribal life than the women of any other tribe in East Africa and Uganda….

The lady worker should be of the best type obtainable. It is a great mistake to think that anyone can make a good missionary to the African and so send the best workers to India….”

Reel 380 Original Papers 1932 Letter from Archdeacon of Kavirondo, W E Owen, January 1932

Things are pretty bad all round just now. The Hut and Poll Tax collection for 1931 is only, (at the end of this month) half of what it was for 1930. The Administration have taken the strongest measures to screw the last shilling out of the people. All civil cases in Native Tribunals and Appeal Courts, have been temporarily suspended, except in certain special cases, largely on the ground that if they cannot afford to pay their taxes they cannot afford civil litigation. This comes hard on A who has paid his tax and cannot get his case heard because Z has not paid his. While there is no actual starvation, there is great shortage of food, down by the Lake shore especially, where some are reduced to ekeing out very scanty supplies with a bitter root of a water lily….

Gold hunting in North Kavirondo, where about 350-400 Europeans  are washing alluvial gold, is raising problems. We had a meeting of the North Kavirondo Taxpayers Assn about ten days ago, where some aspects of the situation were brought up. The case was told of one European whose claim included a native kraal. He started in pegging out, and commencing operations despite the protests of the native. From words they came to blows, and the native was soon on the ground. His daughter, who must have been a hefty wench, seeing her father felled, picked up a stick and laid out the European for 20 mins. When he came round he had her arrested, and she was given 3 months. Very hard luck, I say.”

Reel 382 Original Papers 1934 Extract from a report and recommendations in regard to Educational Policy in Nandi, Elgeyo, Marakwet and Kamasia.

In framing an educational policy for the Africa Inland Mission in this sphere three main considerations have to be noted. Firstly, the homogeneity of the problem from the tribal and linguistic point of view. The four tribes all belong to the same Nandi-Kipsigis group and have common characteristics of the greatest importance from the educational stand point. Nandi is the dominant language of the area and can be used for teaching purposes from the beginning. The New Testament in Nandi can be used throughout. The tribal customs most seriously endangering the physical and moral development of the people are largely similar and can only be expected to yield to the higher sanctions based on Christian teaching. The work in Nandi is therefore doubly important and Kapsabet Mission is or can be the focus of effort in many directions for both evangelism and education.

Secondly, the tribes are in a state of economic and social backwardness which presents a most difficult problem for both Government and Mission. The history of recent work in Nandi shows that educational advance will be slow in the other areas but that the apathy and conservatism of the people can be overcome if Mission and Government effort go hand in hand….

Thirdly, the presence of Government schools at Kapsabet and Tambach indicates that the best educational policy for the Mission will be one which is based on definite co-operation between the two agencies and gives both the sphere for development which is most in line with their respective aims and resources….”

Reel 385 Précis Book P 6 1901 Report by the Bishop of Mombasa on the Diocese in 1900

Mombasa …. Amongst the thousands of Indians the CMS is doing almost nothing. In the Mission-hall, in market, in hospital, in school, in street and in house very earnest efforts are being made by the missionaries to win the African to Christ. Educational and evangelistic work amongst the many Gujarathi-speaking people is surely our imperative duty as the Society in possession of this missionary sphere. One cannot estimate too highly the probable effects of our having a really well-organised school in which English, Gujarathi, and Ki-Swahili are the languages taught and freely used in imparting information….

Frere Town …. The crying need of the settlement is the establishment, at an early date, of suitable Industries, and the pursuance of a vigorous policy in developing the resources of the settlement itself (and also of Rabai). Material prosperity, side by side with the increasing spiritual advancement, will make the old freed-slave settlement free indeed, and a glory to God….

Jilore…. The Africans are fat and flourishing. Their crops are abundant and their lot happy…. In my opinion no Europeans should reside in Jilore. No one will shrink from itinerating in Giriama, Jilore included (the Hoopers still wish to live in Jilore itself), for all missionaries are ready to face the risks of their calling, but no one should be asked to court black-water fever unnecessarily….”

 

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