History of the African mission of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, with memoirs of deceased missionaries, and notices of native customs

Front matter

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Preface

V.

publication, in a separate form, but was unable to complete the work before he sailed for China.

Such as it is, the volume is now sent forth to claim the notice of a leisure hour from all who feel an interest in the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom. May Grod make it instrumental in deepening that interest, and prompting to more fervent prayer and liberal effort, not only for Africa, but for all the nations who now " sit in darkness."

E. F. H.

Brooklyn, N. Y., November, 1849.

Chapter I. Paqh

Origin of first Missionary efforts of Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States — First Agents of American Colonial Society — Appointment of Mr. Ephraim Bacon — Mr. Jacob Oson — Mission School at Hartford — Mr. James Thompson — Donation from American Colonial Society — Selection of Mount Vaughan as Mission Station . .13

Chapter II

Appointment of Rev. John Payne, L. B. Minor, and T. S. Savage, M. D. — Dr. Savage's departure — Description of Cape Palmas — Manner of building native houses — Visit from the king — Greegree pole — Situation of the station — John and Susan Savage — Custom of betrothal • . 22

CHAPTER IIL

Removal to Mt. Vaughan — Sheppard's Lake — The Palm-tree and Mangrove — Grahway — Use of Greegrees — Manner of Making Doctors — Half Cavalla — Description of Country — Interview with King Baphro . . . .32

Vll[ CONTENTS,

Chapter IV. Page

Desire of natives for schools — Ideas of the Supreme Being — Dr. Savage's journey to Deneh — Curious illustration of superstitions — Sassa Wood — Nallicott — Incident on the liver — Oracle of Grand Devil at Hodia — Deneh — King's hospitality — Heathen customs ...... 42

Chapter V

Arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Payne and Mr. Minor — Failure of Dr. Savage's health — Cause. — Different dialects of natives — Dr. S. returns to United States — Attempt to open a Station at Garraway — Death of Mr. Thompson — Manner of preparing farms . . .52

Chapter VI

Sailing of new missionaries — Illness and death of Mrs. Savage — Lines by Mrs. Sigourney 58

Chapter VII

Prosperity of the Mission — Superstition of the Grahwayans — Mr. Payne's removal to Cavalla — Erooman's letter — Mr. Minor returns to Africa, accompanied by his wife and Rev. J. Smith — Religious interest in the schools — Grebo hymns , . 71

Chapter VIII

Review of the year 1840 — Dr. Savage's visit to the Leeward Coast — Mr. and Mrs. Payne return to the United States — Opening of Stations at Rockbookah and Taboo — Illustration of heathen superstition — Mr. and Mrs. Payne again embark for Africa with new missionaries — Death of Miss Coggleshall — Biographical notice — Difficulties with natives 80

Chapter IX

Encouraging circumstances at Cavalla — Death of native convert — Mr. Payne visits the family . . . .88

Contents

ix

Chapter X. Page

Ideas of the people respecting a future state — Funeral Ceremonies— Sassa Wood — Superstitions of the Grahwayans — Singular custom — Arrival of Rev. Samuel Hazlehurst — Mr. Payne's labors . 95

CHAPTER XL

Death of Mrs. Maria V. Savage — Parentage, birth, and early life — Determination to offer her services for Africa — Letter to the Rev. Dr. Vaughan — Farewell letter to her friends — Voyage and arrival in Africa 102

Sentiments of missionaries under these trials — Baptism of native converts — Results of the Mission — Permanent grounds of encouragement . . . . . .286

HISTORY

THE AFRICAN MISSION.

Chapter. I

Origin of first Missionar)' efforts of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States — First Agents of Colonial Society — Appointment of Mr. Ephraim Bacon — Mr. Jacob Oson -Mission School at Hartford — Mr. James Thompson — Donation from American Colonial Society — Selection of Mount Vaughan as a Missionary Station

We trace the origin of the first missionary organization of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, to an impulse received from the mother Church of England.^ In 1815, the Rev. Josiah Pratt, Secretary of the Church Missionary Society, London, addressed a circular letter to several of the leading members of the Episcopal body in this country, in the hope of obtaining their co-operation in the work of Missions. To this circular, the late lamented Bishop Griswold was the first to respond ; and with his reply, he transmitted to Mr. Pratt a pastoral letter, addressed to his clergy in 1814, in which he uses the following language :

" Some efforts have been made, and are still in

* See Rev. Dr. Stone's Memoir of Bishop Griswold.

agitation, by a few individuals, to form Missionary Societies, and to collect a little fund for sending the light and comforts of the gospel among those who are destitute. We are far from believing that there is any repugnance to this good work among Christians of our communion : yet from some unhappy cause, it is but too evident that your serious attention has not been duly engaged in this important subject. * * #

" Our numbers are few, and thinly scattered over a large extent of country ; nor have we,' until very lately, been so organized and united, as to attempt, with any probability of success, any missionary labors. But now, through divine goodness, these obstacles are in part removed ; our Churches flourish ; our numbers increase ; and we may conveniently unite in any measures to promote the cause of Christianity."

Bishop Griswold assures Mr. Pratt of the cordial co-operation of the American Church, so far as her " means and power will admit." " Most gladly would we unite with you," he writes, "in sending missionaries to Africa and the East ; and hope that the time is not far distant when some of our pious young men will be zealously disposed to engage in this good work. At present, however, we have not the funds, nor other means of doing much in missionary labor ; not even of supplying the wants of our own country."

In a subsequent communication, he introduces to the notice of the Church Missionary Society, the Rev. Joseph R. Andrus, as one" anxious to be employed in the missionary field.

The report of the Society for 1817, presents the

THE AFRICAN MISSION. jg

following statement : — " the Committee have suggested the expediency of forming in the Ejriscojxzl Churcli of the United States, a Missionary Society for the advancement of the kingdom, of Christ among the heathen ; and have authorized Bishop Griswold to draw on this Society for the sum of c€200, as an encouragement to its own exertions, and in full persuasion that those exertions will be, as they are daily found to be in this country, a blessing to those who make them, as well as to those towards whose immediate benefit they are directed. The Committee have also suggested the propriety of the Rev. Mr. Andrus, before mentioned, proceeding to Ceylon, under the patronage of the Society to be so formed ; in the hope, that the maintenance by the Institution of a pious and exemplary layman among the heathen, will not only call forth the liberal contributions of the members of the American Episcopal Church in support of the funds, but excite their prayers for its success, and induce other clergymen to follow his example."

Although, as a body, the Church had been too long negligent of her obligations to the heathen world, it cannot be doubted that the missionary flame burned brightly in many hearts within her communion. There were some, among both her clergy and laity, fully imbued with the missionary spirit, and willing to encounter any dangers, and submit to any trials, if they might be the instruments of good to the perishing heathen. While the Church remained destitute of any Society under whose auspices they might go forth on their errand of love, it was natural that such spirits should embrace with ardor, the opportunity afforded by the project of African Colonization, of carrying the gospel to one of the darkest corners of the globe. "We rejoice to find clergymen of the Protestant Episcopal Church among the first agents in that noble enterprise.

Such were the Rev. Samuel Bacon, Christian Wiltberger, Joseph B,. Andrus, and Jehudi Ashmun ; and John P. Bankson, and Ephraim Bacon, were also lay members of her communion. As, however, the labors of these gentlemen were unconnected with the missionary efforts of our Church in that country, they are not included within the limits of this work. Most of them fell early victims to the pestilential climate of Africa ; and their brief career is appropriately mentioned in Dr. Alexander's very interesting "History of African Colonization."

The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, was formed by the General Convention in May, 1820. The attention of the Society was early turned towards the destitute millions of Africa, among whom they were desirous of immediately establishing a Mission. In 1822, Mr. Ephraim Bacon, and his wife, both of whom had been in Africa in connection with the American Colonization Society, on their return, offered their services for the commencement of the undertaking. It was determined to send them out, and to give Mr. Bacon the appointment of catechist. He employed some months preparatory to his departure in visiting different parts of the country for the purpose of exciting an interest in the Mission, and collecting the necessary funds for its maintenance. In this he was more successful than had been anticipated ; collecting about eighteen hundred dollars hi cash, and a variety of clothing and other useful articles. The way now seemed open for further effort, but an unexpected obstacle arose from the refusal of the Colonization Society, from some motive connected with the internal affairs of their colony at that period, to allow Mr. BaCon's family and the goods procured for the Mission, a passage in their vessels. Another opportunity was then anxiously sought, but in vain ; and at length, all the means which could be used having been adopted without any prospect of success, the Mission was, for the time, with great reluctance on the part of the Executive Committee, abandoned. The money which had been contributed for this object was invested as part of the Foreign Mission- fund on account, and was solemnly pledged to the endowment of the African Mission whenever it should be established.

Some years passed away, during which the Executive Committee were not able to obtain the services of a suitable missionary. At length, at a special meeting of the Board of Directors in October, 1827, Mr. Jacob Oson, a colored man who had for several years resided at New Haven, Connecticut, whose character and qualifications for the work were of the most satisfactory kind, and who had been, for some time, a candidate for holy orders in that diocese, was appointed to the service. He was ordained deacon on the 16th of February, 1828, and priest on the following day, by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Brownell. The Board of Directors of the American Colonization Society, offered him a free passage in one of their vessels, and pledges for his support were received, chiefly from individuals of St. Paul's Church, Boston, to the amount of three hundred and sixty dollars per annum. The friends of Africa rejoiced in the hope that the way for the establishment of the Mission was now opened, but they were again disappointed. The summons to prepare for his departure, found Mr. Oson upon a bed of sickness, from which, before the sailing of the vessel, he was carried to the grave.

In 1828, an attempt was made to establish a Mission School at Hartford, for the purpose of training up colored young men to act as teachers and missionaries in Africa. Three or four candidates presented themselves, who were placed under the tuition of an under-graduate of Trinity College, and superintended by the president. With one exception, however, they were found deficient in even the rudiments of an ordinary English education, nor did they answer the expectations formed of their religious character. Although general publicity had been given to the project, no more applications were received ;' and the funds of the institution being very limited, the enterprise was necessarily abandoned.

Notwithstanding their repeated disappointments, the Executive Committee of our Missionary Society did not relinquish their benevolent designs towards Africa ; but seeing no reasonable prospect of the immediate accomplishment of their object, they resolved that the articles collected by Mr. Bacon, many of which were likely to be injured while lying useless on their hands, should be transferred to the American Colonization Society, to be disposed of for the benefit of the poor Africans, as origi-

THE AFRICAN MISSION. jg

nally designed by the donors. That they still retained an unskaken conviction of the importance and the practicability of establishing a Mission in Africa, is abundantly proved in their repeated and earnest appeals to the Church in their Annual Reports. In 1833, after refering to the discouraging circumstances which had hitherto baffled their efforts, they say : "In the meantime, it is well known to the Board, that the favorable hand of God has been continually removing or mitigating the obstacles which have hindered the establishment of Christianity on the coast of Africa." They revert to " the peculiar obligations, under which we, as Americans, lie to the ignorant and miserable race, whose fortunes are so closely and so sadly connected with our own," and recommend " the appointment, as soon as ■ suitable persons may offer, of two misionaries at the colony of Liberia and its vicinity."

In the same year, the Committee were informed by Dr. James Hall, the governor of the colony at Cape Palmas, that a portion of the most respectable inhabitants of Monrovia, had formed themselves into a religious society, under the title of St. James' Church ; profesing to be governed by the laws of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. Dr. Hall placed in the hands of the Committee an appeal for aid in the erection of a house of worship for said Church, signed by its Wardens and Vestry. This the Committee published in the Missionary Record, and in answer to it received the sum of $201 15. The writer of this appeal was Mr. James Thompson, Secretary to the Colonial agent at Cape Palmas. He was a native of Demarara, about twenty-seven years of age, intelligent, pious, well educated, ardently attached to the distinctive principles and features of the Episcopal Church, and, for a considerable period, had been officiating among the colonists as Lay Reader. Soon after the meeting of the Board in 1834, the Secretary of the Society was requested to open a correspondence with Mr. Thompson, and ascertain from him whether he would be willing to engage in the service of the Society as an ordained missionary, provided it was practicable to effect his ordination in accordance with the canons of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States. To this inquiry, Mr. Thompson replied, that he did not consider his qualifications of such a nature as would justify him in assuming the ministerial office, and would prefer co-operating with the Society in the capacity of a teacher. He proposed a plan for a Mission school which the Committee -resolved to adopt. In June, 1835, they appointed Mr. and Mrs. Thompson to the office of teachers, and appropriated a sum for the erection of the necessary buildings. In the following Autumn, the managers of the American Colonization Society, announced to the Secretary of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, a resolution of that body, instructing their Colonial agent to grant to the Society a lot of ground on Factory Island, or elsewhere, within the territory of Liberia. For this generous donation, a vote of thanks was promptly transmitted by the Foreign Committee, who instructed Mr. Thompson to select such a spot as he should deem most suitable for the establishment of the proposed Mission school. Mr. Thompson was then residing at Cape Palmas, and, after consultation with Gov. Hall and the Rev. M. Wilson, he decided to locate the Mission in that vicinity. The spot selected was a beautiful mount about three miles distant from the Cape, and situated on the main road leading from the town of Harper to the Cavalla river. Its elevation was about one hundred feet, commanding a fine view of ihe surrounding country, and affording a distant glimpse of the ocean. The grant included an extent of ten acres.

On the 1st of March, Mr. Thompson commenced his operations in behalf of the Society, and proceeded to clear up the ground, and prepare it for the erection of suitable buildings for the accommodation of a Mission family and school. The work of instruction was commenced immediately, with seven children, five boys and two girls. With the former, Mr. Thompson removed to a small native house on the premises, in order to give his personal attention to the building and other operations, leaving the girls under the care of his wife, at Harper. On Sundays he joined his family, and held religious services, which were frequently attended by the Governor and settlers of the colony.