The Dutch Reformed Church

The Dutch Reformed Church

This Church gained ground especially at the time when Missionaries came to South Africa after the British had taken over the Cape Colony in 1795.

While Missionaries believed that all men were equal, the Dutch reformed Church preached from the Old Testament where they believed that they were saved and other races doomed or cursed. This promoted superiority among the Dutch.

This belief was passed onto Dutch generations and gave the Dutch superiority against the natives. This teaching promoted hostility towards the blacks. To kill a native was not looked upon as a sin for they had been doomed or cursed.

Therefore because of that teaching, the Dutch believed that their mission was to preserve white civilization from generation to generation and this undermined African cultures.

The Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) was the most important single factor in the cultural life of the Boers. It promoted unity among them both religiously and socially.

They used to move to Stellensdam, Graaf Reneit for Holy Communion, Baptism, Marriages and exchange of news, food harvest and cattle.

The Church also encouraged trade among the Boers especially on ceremonies, were they could sell powder, coffee, salted beef, salt, silk in return for cattle and sheep.

The Church also provided education for the settlers because for one to become a fuJI member and to be confirmed, Education was a pre-requisite or a necessity.

The ORC associated itself with the Dutch East India Company (DElCO). The Company appointed Church Ministers and supported its activities.

Therefore the teachings of the Church created a class of the Boers who were hard individuals, isolated in their own world, speaking their own language, authority and they were very proud. This forced them to move away in the famous Great Trek.

Using the Church, the Boers saw themselves as Israelites and Transvaal as the promised land of Canaan.

By 1857, the Church had decided on a policy of separate racial segregation and this reflects government policy of Apartheid or separate development that came up.

Role of Christian missionaries in the colonization of South Africa

Missionary activities paved way for the colonization of South Africa .

They participated in the intensive exploration of Africa.

They attacked Islam.

They helped to stop slave trade in order to implement legitimate trade (commerce).

Missionaries facilitated the drawing of spheres of influence for their metropolitan/home governments.

They were instrumental in the development of formal education in South Africa.

They helped to soften the Africans especially African chiefs in singing the so called treaties.

They were important in the development of a cash crop economy wherever they were.

Missionaries were vital in attacking African customs like polygamy, witchcraft, rain making, female circumcision and male circumcision in order to reform the South African society.

Through conversion of Africans to Christianity, missionaries embarked on intensive preaching and spreading the gospel of Christ.

Closely related, they spread their gospel that brain washed the maids of the Africans. They appealed for protection from their home governments.

They had a vision of developing transport and communication networks in south Africa.

They went a head as far as employing military forces or advocating for it (them) where their interest or those of their home governments were threatened.

They influenced the official European mind in establishing colonial rule in South Africa.

Once an area had been annexed the missionaries were duty bound to ensure that it was properly administered candidate, they absence of what they thought was a suitable candidate, they took over.

In some areas of South Africa, they financed European traders and administrators. Mission stations acted as colonial government headquarters.

Missionary groups gave financial assistance to the colonialists in order to extend their authority to the different parts of South Africa.

They exposed South Africa to the European continent/and the outside world. Missionaries created a group of South African collaborators.

They were largely forerunners of European colonial rule.

African response to Missionary work in South Africa.

In their response African leaders were influenced by different considerations - political, diplomacy or out of genuine conversion.

King Moshoeshoe of Lesotho or Basuto nation response to the French Protestant Missionaries of the Paris Evangelical Society was influenced by political mission stations in order to consolidate his position.

In the end their leader Engene Casalis made territorial claims in behalf of Meshoeshoe in his policy to the people who had been resistant to his influence.

Moshoeshoe also used missionaries for information on what happened in the outside world, as his spokesman with the Cape colonial government. In 1868, protection to Moshoeshoe was given by the British government - an outcome of missionary influence.

But Christian Missionary work in Basuto land was modest. Though, Moshoeshoe was in deep respect for Christianity, he was never baptized because he saw plenty of value in African traditional religion and was a polygamist.

In Southern Sotho, the Wesleyan missionaries from England had considerable influence over Seleka Rolong at Thaba Nchu. They convinced their ruler, Moroka to settle at Thaba with his followers.

Missionaries converted to the new faith indeed, the Seleka became some of the most Christianized of all the southern Sotho groups.

Among the Bamagwato were a northern Tswana community under Khama Ill-as they also became the most Christianized of all the Tswana communities.

After his campaign on the Ndebele in 1863, his people confident in him was restored as they followed the footsteps of their best soldier to convert to Christianity.

As noted in the later Topics in this book, he came to power after a military coup against Macheng who had succeeded his father. He knew that his father and Macheng had hatred for Christianity, which is why he seized power in 1872.

Khama's toleration and conversion to Christianity brought him enmity from the Royal family, but he defeated these pressures as missionaries enj oyed opportunities.

From 1875 to1923, Kharna ruled the Ngwato undisturbed until his death though with opposition, he was a popular ruler because he reversed the policy of payment of tribute by conquered peoples; he showed concern for his people in times of hardships, imposed and distributed free donations of com during famine.

Indeed his admiration for western values went beyond religion-technology with wagons and ploughs to modernize the economy of the Ngwato. He preached honesty, hard work, good morals, and philanthropy.

He abolished the Ngwato culture where the chief could perform national circumcision ceremonies-he ignored to carry them out.

He substituted rain making ceremonies with Christian prayers and decreed that Sundays be observed as the import or manufacture of liquor was banned.

He was very careful not to stretch the Christian zeal through marriage matters by blending traditional and new ideas. He did not go polygamous assist had been customary, but married off his daughters to sons of the sub chiefs.

In 1885, his long time associate John Meckenzie of the London Missionary Society advised him to accept British rule for two reasons-breakups the power of traditional rulers and genuine concern for the welfare of the Ngwato.

Apart from the different responses of Khama, the Tra.n.svaal Boers were a threat to the well being of the state, so Khama was persuaded to accept British 'protection' against possible Boer occupation.

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Importance of Missionary work in South Africa

This was positive and negative.

Missionaries taught the blacks how to earn a living in a western economy. Bantu languages were put down in writing by the Missionaries.

Missionaries provided the only schools for the non-whites, for instance Lovedale Missionary School. Mission stations often were centers from which trade, government and Agricultural development sprang.

There was improvement of social and moral behaviors on their preaching, for example respect for life, existence and sexes.

The teaching of Christianity helped to eradicate primitive cultures like killing of twins, seclusion of widows, sacrifice and circumcision.

Christianity brought the positive impact, for example the population was divided into hostile religious factions like Protestants against Catholics.

The road network they established improved the communication network of South Africa.

The introduction of medical services improved the general health of the people but it undermined African medicine in South Africa.

In some areas Missionaries assisted in treaty signing, for instance J.S. Moffat encouraged Moshoeshoe to sign a treaty of protection with the British.

Many African converts were no longer loyal to their traditional chiefs.

Africans gained more liberty and freedom when slavery was abolished and stopped by the Missionaries. They also restored the Xhosa land, which the Boers had grabbed with the influence of Dr. John Phillip.

Missionary activities also paved way for the Great Trek in the interior of South Africa.

Problems faced by European Christian Missionaries in South Africa

Missionaries faced a number of problems which included;

When Missionaries introduced new cultures, they disturbed the Africans who resisted them

They also got problems with African Kings and were involved in local wars of both blacks and whites. Sometimes while fighting for the rights of the Bantu and Khoikhoi, they lost their lives.

Many Missionaries were denied a chance to complete their work and they were expelled from the Republic set up in the interior by the Dutch farmers. This increased tension between them and the Boers.

They were also hated by the Khoikhoi because they gave them a simple Education compared to what the whites received. They faced a problem of inadequate personnel because they didn't have all the manpower they needed in their work.

They also had a problem of language barrier and at times had to hire interpreters.

They also faced a big problem of inadequate funding, as funds were not always available to carry out the plans like building the needed infrastructures.

There was opposition from traditional religions and African cultures. Africans were used to religious mediums, which greatly influenced them to resist the spread of the white man's religion.

African cultures and traditions of the ancestral worship, sacrifices, witchcraft, polygamy, superstition and other values of the African society blocked the progress of Missionary work in South Africa.

Sometimes the conduct of Missionaries themselves affected their work negatively, for example some of the them were harsh, undisciplined as they disorganized the evangelization process. Many a time quarrels, misunderstandings and financial embezzlements at mission or between whites in South Africa stopped Missionary work.

Parts of South Africa being in the tropics, it's geography having swamps, lakes, rivers, deep valleys, forests and mountains, it hindered the movement and creation of necessary infrastructure like roads, navigation systems that would facilitate Missionary work.

In some areas, diseases, such as malaria made Missionary groups in Zululand and Basutoland go back.

It was impossible for many white Missionaries to make converts and work full time in some African societies due to political problems and insecurity.

Missionary activities in South Africa.

Their activities were political, economic and social.

Dr. Phillip was very important in denouncing the wrongs committed by the Boers against the Khoi-Khoi and the Bantu. He also persuaded the British administration to set up Circuit Courts.

The Dutch Reformed Church worked mainly in Dutch settled areas and was the only one, which did not have support of the non-whites. The Boers or native Burgers belonged to this church.

The Paris Evangelist missionaries operated among the Basuto, while the Moravian missionaries worked among the Khoikhoi.

The Free Church of Scotland operated in Natal. They built several mission stations, opened up health centers for the local people. They encouraged farm work, built darns, irrigation channels and roads. They discouraged the slave trade, built schools, hospitals and African fundamental rights. They also encouraged trade and development.

Missionaries advocated for the principles of equality, fraternity and liberty to be applied to all mankind whether white or non-whites. To them all men are equal.

Therefore while the Boers were bent on oppressing the non-whites, missionaries fought for the rights of the Africans, which resulted into friction between the whites.

Missionaries, for example Rev. Dr. Phillip influenced the British to pass the so" Ordinance of 1828 which abolished slavery, restored the civil rights of the Khoikhoi, the pass system' was abolished or carrying an identity card by the Khoisan, which then was resisted by the Boers and they decided to move away in the Great trek starting in 1830's.

Missionaries protected Africans from their European masters who mistreated them, e.g. the Dutch Reformed Church and also protected Africans who fled in their areas especially running out of slavery.

Missionaries also supported the Khoikhoi and built them stations e.g. Bethelsdorp under Dr. Van Der Kemp. Because of the good treatment in these mission stations, these places became popular as homes for the dissatisfied African refugees.

Missionaries spread and taught the gospel among Africans and many were converted to Christianity. The converted could learn to read and write, farm and acquire skills.

Missionaries built schools, which provided education to Africans, e.g. the Moravian missionaries set up schools where they taught the Khoikhoi western habits of life, European farming methods and other skills of crafts and artisans.

They also built hospitals and health centers to treat the sick, over worked and mistreated Africans, thus medical facilities were improved among the blacks.

Because of the pressure for African liberation, missionaries influenced the British government to punish the Boers who mistreated the Africans.

In 1812, Lord Charles Somerset established the circuit courts, which were mobile courts to listen to African problems. Therefore servants could take their masters to Court.

They built churches for the Africans, which taught them the values of equality. They fought for the civil rights of the Khoisan and the Bantu.

They undermined African traditional values by encouraging western cultures especially dressing, behavior and worship. They also created a feeling of dependency among the Africans to the whites and this led to the colonization of South Africa.

Thus missionaries and their converts became collaborators in the spread of colonial rule or as agents of imperialism. By teaching different skills they developed African peasants in the making.

Factors that facilitated the success of missionary work in South Africa

These factors were both internal and external. Whether a success or not, it remained a strong force as the foregoing treatment will portray;

They had the resources to finance their activities and pay the man power that they employed, winning converts .

To many Africans, Christianity was a success because of the superior services, which the Missionaries offered.

They had massive moral and government support in England guaranteed a great impact.

They avoid using arrogant and rude language many a time openly. They were thus soft spoken which won them confidence of the locals.

Christianity appeared to be more practical in application in its principles to the people compared to traditional indigenous religion.

Many of the missionaries had tried to learn the African language, which made Christianity easily understood, adopted and followed.

Christianity was simple as it didn't emphasize doctrines like circumcision that helped spread of Christianity.

Their work was a success because the African society was undergoing instability thus timing made their work a success.

African traditional religion had inherent weaknesses like human sacrifice, dictatorship, social outcasts and cannibalism, among others.

Many African societies in South Africa were industrially less developed and poor of the poorest. Therefore they easily became victims to the facilities and resources which the missionaries offered.

In many areas the kings and chiefs set the example y converting which meant conversion of the influential members and later the subjects followed suit.

Missionary education provided the incentive for a permanent base for the success of their activities to have a great impact. Above all, the informal nature of pre colonial African education left a lot to be desired.

The Cape government under the British also threatened those who did not respond favorably to the Missionary endeavored with attacks and bombardment.

In many areas where Christianity gained acceptance, some African rulers found that the Missionaries were an asset. They expected military support to follow their embarrassing of Christianity.

The Missionaries were also valued for the gifts they presented to the African rulers from time to time. These were material gifts like chairs, Alcohol, velvet, glassware, cutlery and umbrellas; they also at times acted as money lenders to African chiefs.

Many African rulers hoped that their states would grow so powerful as a result of contact with Christianity, an idea the missionaries dangled before them. They therefore used the missionaries as personal secretaries and advisors in their dealings with the British governance at the Cape and Natal and in dealings with the radical Afrikaners in Transvaal and Orange Free State.

Yet in face of competition between themselves, the Africans took it as an imperial hassle and therefore some African chiefs decided to keep away from all of them. Thus there were other similar cases of little hope of or for success.

How their activities affected the African peoples of South Africa

European imperialism increased.

Schools, which were built, gave chance to African! to be liberated. Therefore an elite class was created which led to canonalistic struggles.

Their teachings divided Africans into 2 groups; the educated and the un-educated. This undermined African unity into the eocverted and the non-converted groups.

Many Africans adopted European culture in the way of marriage, dressing, religion, behavior and abandoned their own caltures.

Missionary activities reduced and destroyed the labor force, which the settlers depended on.

Many African converts were not loyal to their traditional chiefs or leaders. This created divisions and separation of politica1 authority.

The activities paved way for the great trek especially when the Boers opposed the 50^th ordinance of 1828.

Africans gained more liberty and freedom when slavery was abolished and stopped. Their economic position was improved with new methods of farming.

Missionary activities undermined the unity of Africans, e.g. Barolong, Korana, Griqua, Basuto nation of Moshoeshoe tried to declare them selves independent from the Sotho.

Why Christian Missionaries came to South Africa

They wanted to spread Christianity to the Africans.

Missionaries also wanted to civilize the Africans and this is why they established viable infrastructures. They wanted to improve the African standards of living.

They also wanted to stop inhuman slave trade and slavery to ensure establishment of legitimate trade.

They were interested in exploitation, exploration and ensure total establishment of European colonial rule. They wanted to promote western education and civilization through their teachings.

They were answering the caU of the British government to come to Africa.

The success of earlier travelers and other men on the spot also attracted the missionaries.

They were also driven by the need to check on the spread of Islam.

They wanted to complete the work of Dr. David Livingstone who had left a big part of work incomplete. They also acted as secret European colonial agents.

They came in the guise of philanthropy or humanitarianism.

The industrial revolution generated a lot of wealth for many European countries to invest elsewhere. British Missionaries of the London Missionary Society

The British administration marked the beginning of a new influence with the corning of overseas missionaries to South Africa.

The pioneer was Dr. Van Der Kemp of the London Missionary Society who arrived in 1802.

He took up work amongst the Hottentots or Khoikhoi and began to champion their cause. He argued that the chief cau: of tension was the fact that Hottentots had no land and were forced to take service with white masters no matter what to conditions.

He spent a lot of his time working with Khoikhoi and Xhosa people on the eastern frontier.

Van Der Kemp established a missionary Church at Bethchosodorp where the Khoi-khoi and Xhosa were supposed to su and learn how to read, write and learn better farming methods.

He asked for land to be set a side for Hottentot mission stations where they could support themselves and learn skil which would enable them to command higher wages.

This idea was supported by the government but before it could be fully carried out, the colony was handed over to the authorities of the Dutch republic.

The Boers became opponents to Van Der-Kemp and they attacked him. However, other missionary stations sent other missionaries to work among the Khoikhoi such as William Joseph, John Mounlee and Thomas William.

In the mean time missionary pressure for an improvement in the lot of the Hottentots was growing.

Dr. John Philip, the energetic general superintendent of the London Missionary Society in South Africa, launched an , out attack on the laws governing the movement of Hottentots, which left them at the mercy of white employers at reduced them to a position of semi- slavery possibly even worse than outright slavery.

Dr. John Philip was a Scottish by origin and born by Scottish weaver He arrived in South Africa by 1819 and worke among the Bantu and Gaillia people. He championed the welfare of all people.

He very much condemned and criticized the Dutch mistreatment of the Africans.

If Hottentots were given equal rights with the Europeans, he argued, many would be able to eam better wages and this would create a large market for British goods.

These views contained in a book called Researches in South Africa, created a great stir in England and the acting Governor at the Cape was asked to draw up regulations freeing the Hottentots from their legal disadvantages.

The 50^th, Ordinance freed the Hottentots from all their legal disabilities and gave tbem and all free non-Europeans in the Cape complete legal equality with the whites.

He was also responsible for the law, which was governing the Africans and the Boers. 

He was also responsible for the Xhosa land, which the Boers wanted take way forcefully.

He conflicted with the traditional African authority because he was teaching against their wealth. He undermined the African culture.

He also discouraged Africans from worshipping Idols and made Africans become literate. John Philip laid the foundation of the future Evangelical Society in South Africa.