Rev. G. B. Molefe.

Address by Rev. G. B. Molefe. Thursday, July 2, 1936.
HOW TO CONSOLIDATE THE PRINCIPLES
OF CHRISTIANITY AMONGST THE NATIVE
PEOPLE, W ITH A VIEW TO RAISING THE
TONE OF NATIVE SOCIETY.
A t first when I was asked to speak at this gathering
—the Natal Missionary Conference—I was tempted to
decline. My reason, of course, was that the subject
“ How to consolidate the Principles of Christianity
am ongst the Native people with a view to raising the
future tone of Native Society,” warranted a choice of
men with more experience in the Mission field.
Second thoughts, however, made me decide to accept
because m y mind was on the young people with whom
and among whom I live.
Allow me for a moment to carry your thoughts back
to 1835, when pioneer missionary enterprise set foot in
Natal. These men came to grips with a race that had
had its o^ra religion and customs. They found that the
religion of the Natives was group religion. This was
som ething alien to the Christian Religion, which is
individualistic. Each person must decide for himself
whether he accepts Christ or not. W hereas the family,
clan, or even the tribe had to conform to the worship of
an ancestral spirit, with no aim at all of convicting the
individual soul as such to the belief of this spirit, these
missionaries had to convert and convict the individual
soul for Christ. This then was one of the tasks of the
missionary, and we shall see later on what effect this
has made on the Native people.
The second thing that the W hite missionary found
among the Native people was a system of laws and cus­
toms which cut across the grain of the missionaries who
did not understand them. They had to break down this
system altogether, and start afresh or to build from this
configuration pattern a new system, discarding those
customs that were essentially inconsistent with the spirit
of Christ’s gospel. Most missionaries took the first
course.
Effect of Missionary Work.—Let me say at once
that the work of the missionaries has been successful to
a point. They have been successful, for example, in
bringing individual souls to surrender themselves to
Christ instead of leading the group as a group to Christ.
Customs.—As regards blotting out Native customs,
may say that nominally the missionary has w on;
although actually he has been defeated, inasmuch as lipservice is engaged in by a large group of Natives. The
customs, some of which are against Christian principles,
are being indulged in by many of the Christian N atives’
I^or example, belief in witchcraft and the bone-thrower
has not ceased. Native converts have not left polygamy
The only difference is in the practice. There is much
unhcenced polygamy. Man continues to have more than
one wife, although the others are private wives. The
missionary should have stamped this out gradually.
That is why I feel that the battle for the Kingdom of
Christ amongst the Natives requires the best and most
prayerful messengers of God to struggle with this form
of sin, otherwise a new sect of pharisees w ill'be firmly
established.
Church Discipline.—As the years have gone by,
Church discipline has slackened considerably. The
Native customs consisted of a system of taboos. Native
society was obedient to the laws of the tribe because
the individual who violated any of the customs was
ostracised. The tone of Native society was thus high.
Native people have the group mind greatly developed
in them. _ This instinct should have been employed by
missionaries of the various denominations in discipline.
If an individual sinned in one denomination, the other
denominations should not receive him until he has been
forgiven by his former minister. There is no uniform
action among the various denominations in stamping out
sin. One church may discipline a Christian, but when
he turns towards another denomination, his sin is over­
looked, and he is welcomed. There is no united front
against sin.
Separatist Churches.-— Separatist Churches have
largely contributed towards the cause of the low Christian
tone of Native society. Many disciplined Natives turn
with impunity to these Separatist Churches and become
leaders of the people.
Superstition.—-After a hundred years’ work of
preaching the Gospel of Christ, superstition is still as
great as ever. Even Native leaders are not immune from
this. In fact, the social progress of Native society has
been retarded by this great monster — superstition.
Superstition, the cousin of fear, has a marked demoralising influence on the spirit. It dampens hope, kills love
and destroys faith. It must be admitted that these three
virtues are the basis on which our Christian Faith is
founded. Superstition has thus sapped the strength of
the spirit of the Natives. To-day it m atters not how
highly-educated a Native m ight be, mistress superstition
has her sovereign shrine somewhere in him. This is no
sweeping statement.
Christian Principles: How Viewed. — Very few
young people now adays— and even old people — are
Christians because they have been convicted of sin.
During my travel to the Native Institutions in the Union
of South Africa, I rarely came across students who told
me frankly that they became Christians because of cer­
tain religious experiences. A m ajority of the answers
revealed that they became Christians just because their
parents were Christians. In other words, Christianity
has become a mark of civilisation and goes no further.
A man who is a Christian gains the respect of his
superiors. That is the general outlook of the average
Christian.
Europeans have partly contributed to the slackness
in Christian principles. The following facts show th is:
Sunday Keeping.—The early missionary taught and
dem onstrated that Sunday was a day set apart for wor­
ship. To-day, the average Native sees his m aster going
out for tennis or golf on a Sunday morning. The servant
say s: “ These people brought C hristianity; they know
far better than Native priests, therefore why should we
worry about going to church. To a Native every Euro­
pean is a Christian, and the servant takes the cue from
him. Every European, I say, is a force either for uplift­
ing- the Christian soul of the Native, or for turning it to
waywardness. This is entirely due to a misconception
that every European is a Christian. Apostasy is taking
its grip among some Native servants in towns.
Attitude of Missionaries.-—Another disturbing fea­
ture to the Christian Native to-day is the attitude of
many missionaries towards their Native converts. I was
astounded to read the other day of an unfortunate state­
ment in the Press. A European missionary wrote to the
effect that during his 40 years’ service as missionary
among natives, he has learnt that they could not be
trusted, nor relied upon. It fell to the lot of the editor
of the paper to refute this universal statement. W hat
his native congregation thought of this fatalism remains
to be seen. One thing seems clear to me, Christian
Natives have become suspicious of the average mis­
sionary and this has discouraged the spirit of Christ in
them.
(a) Bible.—To consolidate the principles of Chris­
tianity amongst the Native people, I would suggest the
following: (a) The Bible: W e should get our Native
people to read more of the Bible. They should be Bibleminded. Every minister should insist that every Native
convert should have a Bible at home. These Bibles
should be read by families every day. An almanac, like
the one issued by the Ebenezer Press, should be in every
home. There should be Bible circles in the church.
(b) Trained Evangelists.—W e need prayerful men
who are trained in the Bible, to undertake a house-tohouse evangelism. Such men, only as are found prayer­
ful and of good report, should be employed.
(c) Social Service.—W e need young men of good
character and love for the gospel to be trained as social
workers under the guidance of the church. All social
activities should be under the church. The spiritual as
well as the physical and moral spheres of the individual
should be catered for by the church. The church is not
bold enough now, to lead, to denounce vice openly in
the pulpit and in the press.
(d) Sympathetic Missionaries. — W e need sympa­
thetic missionaries who will not only preach the Gospel,
but will also help their congregation by doing community
service. They should be prayerful men with a moral
courage to hit out against political injustice. The mis­
sionary who has shown himself a champion for the
Natives is a dynamic force to his congregation. W e need
the type of Dr. Phillips of old. Christianity is life. Jesus
has said: “ I have come that they might have life, and
that they m ight have it more abundantly.” Any unfair­
ness is minimising the power of the Spirit. The mis­
sionary, therefore, ought to be a man who has himself
been saturated with the Spirit of Christ. Christ went
among the people uplifting and doing good in the home,
the street and in the temple. He fought against injustice.
H e led thought on many social as well as religious prob­
lems. His followers came to love Him, and to be loyal
to Him. “He was a mighty transm itter of power. Living
in the Light, He was Himself the true Light of Life to
the world of men.” To consolidate the principles of
Christianity, the missionaries m ust get back to the way
of Jesus, in order to recapture leadership in the world.
I am the way,” §aid Jesus. W e as missionaries have to
seek for the way of Christ and keep straight on. The
real and effective Light that is passed through us will
depend strictly according to the Light we are prepared
to receive into our hearts and lives. If we as missionaries
are open to the searching and purifying Light of God,
then gracious, helpful and energising forces will pass
through us to the Native converts. It is the people who
walk in the Light, as He is in the Light, who will consoli­
date the principles of Christianity among the Natives.
A missionary m ust be a conductor of grace and power
to the congregation. He m ust preach what he has
experienced.
(e) Medical Doctors.—W e need missionary doctors
in the Locations. That is the only remedy to kill super­
stition. These men m ust be true Christians themselves.
In short, they m ust be evangelising doctors.
(f) Education.—I have left education out as I feel
that the Education Department is the best man to look
after that. They are doing missionary work in that
connection, thus giving the missionaries the opportunity
to devote their whole time to the spiritual task.
“
Dr. E. Gumede, M.B., C.H.B., read a paper, Thursday
morning, July 2, 1936, on—
NATIVE MEDICAL SERVICE OF THE
FUTURE.
There have been isolated heroes in the cause of Native
health in South Africa. Conspicuous among them are
missionaries and other doctors who have devoted their
lives to the cause. Diseases which Natives had regarded
in the past as fatal have been successfully treated by
modern European medicine and surgery. The result was
that Natives were rapidly gaining confidence and hospi­
tals were becoming overcrowded.
Four outstanding examples of these hospitals were
Dr. Schweitzer’s in the Congo, Dr. King’s in Uganda,
and Dr. McCord’s and the Victoria Hospital in the Union.
In addition there were several smaller institutions scat­
tered through the country.
These institutions are now training male and
female Native nurses, who are able to do valuable
work in the locations. The Union He&lth Departm ent
is also training young Natives and sending them into
Native areas where they can prevent and localise
disease.
Let there be an attem pt to make medical science
part of the Native’s life. Let his mind be educated and
converted rather than stress the magic powers of a bottle
of medicine. Above all let there be no play on his
ignorance and superstition for gain.
Harmonious Work.
D uring th e ja st epidemic some of us had the unique
opportunity of treating patients in consultation with
Native doctors. It was an opportunity for two diver­
gent and misguidedly antagonistic attitudes of treating
disease, yet we worked quite harmoniously.
W e established ourselves into local medical councils,
and invariably saved our patients, preserved our selfrespect, and had a chance to sit down and talk in abstract
without suspicion.
The local inyangas, whose name is legion, began to
trust and consult me about their patients. This diplo­
macy of winning their respect and favour ended in each
supplying the other with medicine and advice for the
benefits of the patients.
In the minds of Africans the genuine old inyanga is
passing away slowly, and for the lack of something scien­
tific his place is being taken by quacks and robbers.
For the future let us be sure in our minds_that the
workers the Government puts into the field are not in­
ferior, and let us be sure that their equipment is not half­
hearted and the policy not spasmodic.
Excerpt of address by Dr. Brookes. Thursday evening,
at W esley Church.
A COMPARISON OF THE PRESENT SOCIAL
AND POLITICAL CONDITION OF THE NATIVE
W ITH THAT OF FIFTY YEARS AGO.
The change can best be symbolised by the growth
on the Rand. Johannesburg is a potent cause of change.
It has done a great deal of harm and a great deal of good.
Religion is not the only thing the Native has taken back
from the mine compound. He has taken disease as well.
Literacy among the Natives has increased ten or
tw enty times in the last fifty years. In spite of miserable
equipment, schools are better than they were fifty years
ago. Natives are now reading the newspapers.
W ithin the last fifty years local councils have been
established. There are now 43 local councils, one of
which is concerned with 2 ,000,000 people and spends
£ 200,000 a year.
But although the Native has advanced in some
respects, he has gone back in others.
Fifty years ago it was an unquestionable axiom in
the Cape that the Native could qualify for citizenship.
This has been destroyed and something put in its place
which may be quite good, but it is not common citizen­
ship.
W hat industry there was in 1885 was open to the
Native, and even in 1903 the Native was encouraged in
the towns to take his place in industry. Now industry
after industry is being closed to the Native.
To-day the Native is being over-regulated and over­
legislated for. In 1935 there were over 4,000,000 Native
offences committed in the Union. The number of con­
victions for tax default was enormous. Ten years ago
the number of convictions was nothing like last year’s
total. The increase is unhealthy and undesirable. It is
retrogression.
The relations between the Natives and Police in
South Africa have never been more unsatisfactory than
to-day. I am not blaming anyone. It would be untrue
to say that every Native is perfect. There are criminals
among the Native people. It would be just as untrue
to say the Natives have no friend among the police in
the country. W hatever the cause, the position is most
unsatisfactory.
Address delivered by the Rev. John L. Dube. Central
Methodist Church, on Thursday, July 2, 1936.
You have just been listening to the speeches of
European leaders of thought testifying in eloquent terms
to the value of missionary work amongst the Bantu peo­
ple for close on a hundred years. To-night, I stand before
you as the mouthpiece of that people to bear witness
in term s no less sincere to the gratitude of struggling
millions of my people for the uplift they are receiving
through the missionaries from the dread hand of witch­
craft and all that it means to the vision of the spiritual
ideal and through it to enjoy the benefits of health and
education. No words of mine can adequately express
the depth of that gratitude, but if I could send a message
from my people to the spirits of those brave figures who
have laboured on our behalf in the past, and have given
their lives for us and our uplift, it would be this:—
“ Tell them that their work has not been in vain;
tell them we are not unresponsive; tell them we are
fighting, struggling against our own weaknesses of
ignorance and superstition, and that though our pro­
gress may be slow and at times we may suffer set­
backs, we shall win through, and that no power on
earth can stop us from eventually taking our places
in this continent for the common good of us all.”
I do not think that we realise the difficulties under
which the missionaries of the past laboured in their
endeavour to promote the civilisation of the Bantu peo­
ple, and how, without any written language, records or
literature to work upon except a rich oral tradition,
they succeeded in making the impact they did upon the
Bantu people until to-day we have a complete and com­
prehensive w ritten language sufficient to enable us to
educate and send our sons to the colleges of Europe and
America to compete on equal terms with the most dis­
tinguished intellects of those countries, and to emerge
from the ordeal with credit to themselves and to the
country of their birth. For this, we pay tribute to our
missionaries who, with a singleness of purpose, have
always realised that there can only be one solution of
our problem and that is the common heritage of the
Christian religion.
Before the advent of the Christian missionary there
was a general system of spirit-worship, and ancestorworship played a very im portant part in this religion.
There were, of course, spirits other than those of ances­
tors, both bad and good. W itchcraft or sorcery consisted
in using the influence of bad spirits, whether they were
ancestral or non-ancestral, and magic consisted in using
the influence of the good spirits. It was the power of
these spirits to visit the living with pestilences, disease
and death, which made it necessary to placate them and
it was this belief, driven deep into the history of all
Bantu people, that the missionary had to combat. It is
to the credit of the missionary that this hindrance to the
development of my people is fast crumbling away in
the face of the wondrous influence of the Christian faith.
To-day thousands upon thousands of the Bantu people
have accepted the tenets of the Christian faith and are
in turn spreading the Gospel of Christ over South Africa.
But the preaching- of the Gospel was but one object
of the missionary endeavour. It is true it was the main
one, but on the other hand, the way had to be prepared
for the acceptance of the Gospel, and here again the
brunt of educating the people fell upon the Missionary,
and how well he discharged his task is evidenced by
the general average of intelligence of the Bantu people.
To-day the Bantu people will be found "holding positions
of responsibility and trust throughout our Sub-Continent
with no other educational facilities open to them than
those of the Mission School, and I venture to think that
the reflective European opinion can find only one verdict
and that is that the missionary has here again done his
work well and faithfully.
As for the Bantu, he has proved that he can w ith­
stand the shock of W estern civilisation. W hilst the
Indian of America and the Australian aboriginee have
died out before the tide of W estern civilisation, the
Bantu people of South Africa have increased. He refuses
to die or droop before civilisation. He has adapted him­
self to the changing times of the passing years, and has
brought as his contribution a happiness in life and power
to endure, and is revealing from day to day inner values
in life little dream t of by earlier missionaries, upon
which the modern missionary must build. It is upon
those values we m ust build. Do not be tempted to tear
down the old structure entirely and replace it with a new.
Rather, build upon it; replace it, if you will, plank by
plank, but retain the old and sure foundations and let
there eventually emerge a new and more solid structure
capable of standing up against the winds and tides of
life. To you, then, who are carrying on the noble tradi­
tions of a great order, I say:—
“ Be not dispirited, let your motto be to serve
man as you have done in the past, irrespective of
creed or colour. Your reward may not be apparent,
but it is there in the lowly hearts of millions of my
people for whom you stand as the bulwark against
oppression and injustice and the beacon light of
hope and civilisation.”
Address delivered by Rev. M. J. Mpanza. Thursday,
July 2, 1936.
A REVIEW OF NATIVE MORAL PROGRESS
FOR THE LAST FIFTY YEARS.
The Executive Committee of the Natal Missionary
Conference asked me to give an address o n : “ A Review
of Native Moral Progress for the last SO years.” W hen
considering my age and experience, I think the Execu­
tive Committee made a mistake by asking a simple young
man of 45 years old for such a good address. Yet I did
not wish to disappoint them, and therefore I have ven­
tured to tackle it, and hope you will excuse me for my
mistakes and shortcomings.
Before I embark on the little canoe of my address,
I would like to express in brief my Bantu people’s grati­
tude and mine to the missionaries of all denominations
for the great things they have done for my race in
endeavouring to purify its primitive customs and to pre­
serve its moral standards by the religion of our Saviour
Jesus Christ. W e are indeed highly indebted to the
missionaries, as well as lady missionaries, to many Euro­
pean friends, and the Government, for their remarkable
efforts to uplift our African people. Any success the
Black man has is always traced back to his fatherly
missionary and his sympathetic European friend.
As for Native moral progress during the last fifty
years, I should rather say its review is two-fold, namely,
good aspect and bad aspect.
Its good aspect is that by coming into contact with
the missionaries and some good Europeans, the moral
standard of the Bantu has been improved and strengthen­
ed. The good example set by these invaluable friends of
the Bantu is bearing good fruits, and the character and
conduct of the African are being educated and protected.
All over the country we find good products among the
Bantu who endeavour to lead useful lives and thus set
examples to their own fellow men.
On the other hand, the bad aspect of the Bantu
moral standard is caused by the combination of two bad
influences, viz., bad elements of the original heathens,
and bad elements of the foreign nations. Some Natives
by coming into contact with undesirable elements of
overseas races—and after acquiring their indecent ways
—resort to their original heathen vices, and become
poisonous and destructive to their good moral standard
as a race, and become worse than the time they were
raw heathens.
In this address, I have time only to deal with a few
of the moral aspects in Bantu life. I have tried to relate
how our people treated their moral concerns during their
primitive stage before any white men came to our coun­
try. I have also tried to compare this with the modern
ways which are employed by the Bantu to-day, after
coming into contact with foreign nations.
(1). Benevolence and Hospitality.
To-day we find very good work which is being done
by some sympathetic Europeans to help the poor and
the needy. They organise different Benevolent Societies
for children and adults and thus relieve them from
misery.
One may think that the Bantu had nothing of these
Benevolent Societies before W hite people came to South
Africa. They had them of course! Only their methods
were not organised as Europeans’.
It was in the Black m an’s heart to help the poor
and especially during starvation time. Long, long
before the missionary came, there was the custom of
“ Ukutekelisana.” I have not got a proper English word
for it. “ U kutekelisana” meant this: W hen there was
starvation in the country, people who were starving used
to appeal for help to those who had reaped enough.
These good heathen people never refused nor asked for
any money, but simply filled the “ Izinqalati ” (mat
basket) of the hungry with mealies, mabele, amadata,
umbhondwe, ubhatata, udonqa, etc.
I would like to ask this question: How is it to-day
am ong the heathen and Christian Bantu? I beg to leave
this question with you to answer, Mr. President, Ladies
and Gentlemen.
Another good thing which was done by the Bantu
during their primitive stage was the custom of “ Ukukwanya or “ Ukukotoza.” This, too, was a national
practice backed up by the public opinion. “ Ukukwanya ”
was done during the harvest time. The workers in the
fields used purposely to leave some crops in order that
the children of the district and the poor could come and
pick up what was left, as did Ruth of the Bible. After
this, different herds of cattle of the district were grazed
on the reaped fields. The writer of this address once
got 5 /- worth of the “ Ukukwanya ” mealies when he
was 10 years old.
May I ask the same question again: How is it
to-day? The answer is: Some heathen and Christian
children don’t know the meaning of the word “ Uku­
kwanya.” The B^ntu do not leave anything in the fields
for the poor any more, and anyone who would try to go
and pick up something in the reaped fields, or send his
cattle there, could be charged for theft and trespassing.
As for Hospitality. Our forefathers were full of
hospitable qualities. If shipwrecked sailors during the
fifteenth century could rise up and speak, they could
testify to this fact. They were treated hospitably by the
Bantu who lived at the coast of Natal and the Cape.
They gave them food, fresh water, and night shelter,
and carried their goods to their destination.
And in the later centuries, we read from books that
when early European settlers came to Natal, they were
treated kindly by the Bantu. Our great Zulu King
Tshaka gave them a piece of land on the coast including
the place where the famous City of Durban stands to-day.
Not only that, but we are told by some of the early
settlers and missionaries that at some of the Bantu
heathen homes they were received kindly and were given
“ amasi,” “ utshw ala” and other varieties of the Bantu
food, and were given fine mats to sleep on.
Our forefathers did not do this to the Europeans
only, but it was a national custom to treat the travellers
of the King kindly, and to give them food and nisjhtshelter free of charge.
„ To-day you find the extreme opposite of this.
j
• -e chanSed considerably. Most of the heathen
and Christian Bantu do not seem to possess that hospi­
tality any more. I attribute this to poverty and scarcity
of good harvests, and also to the fact that the Bantu
have copied the W estern ways of treating travellers.
Each traveller is expected to pay for night shelter and
food at the hotels. W e find it a very heavy burden to-day
to practise this primitive hospitality because we are
tempted to adapt ourselves to the modern ways which
we see being done by civilised races. And at the same
time it is very hard to get our travellers adapted to the
new ways. They still expect to have everything for
nothing, as it was done before the Europeans came to
this country.
2. Punctuality.
. . . T “ do anything in time is a very important thing
with the W estern Nations. It is a ve^y difficult affair
with the Bantu to keep time. W e are often blamed for'
this. Of course, educated Bantu do their best to keep
to time, just as Europeans do, but in several cases we
Jt veiT hard, in so far as this: that some say if
one wants to convene a Bantu meeting to start at 9 a m
he should deceive them and say the meeting will start
at o a.m., so that they be on time.
One may wonder and say, why is it hard for the
Bantu to be in time? I will try to explain. The Bantu
kept time in their own way, not as Europeans do. The
Bantu reckoned time not by hours or minutes, because
they owned no watches. They only counted bv davs
weeks, months and years, and their watch was the sun.
u u Stlli ’ , 1 am Very P,eased t0 mention that this good
habit of keeping time is gaining ground with most of
our people. They have learned to apologise just as the
European does when he comes a few minutes after the
appointed time.
3. Temperance.
Europeans have Temperance Associations which are
intended to protect human beings from the dangers of
alcohol, which destroy many good families. Temperance
Societies have saved many people from destruction.
I am very delighted to say that the Bantu too, in
their primitive stage, had their own ways of protecting
their folk from the dangers of excessive drinking. Glut­
tonous people were ridiculed and despised by the com­
munity. As for beer drinks, no young man was allowed
to drink with “ Amakehla ” (married men), neither chil­
dren nor women were allowed.
Habitual drunkards were denounced and nicknamed
“ Izabhukazana ” (worthless people). The young were
not permitted to drink to an excess; this was abominable.
W hen we compare the past time and the present, we
find that things have gone worse, as most of y<5u know.
Now, Natives don’t drink their beer only, but they drink
European liquor and many kinds of poisonous alcoholic
drinks which are manufactured by them, such as “ Isishimeyana,” “ Isiqata,” “ Kill-me-quick,” “ Sqedaviki,”
“ Igwebu,” “ Sgwagwagwa,” etc. These deadly Bantu
drinks were not known fifty years ago. Many young
men and women come to towns and ruin their health
with these poisonous drinks. I very much regret to
mention that the Municipal Beer Halls in towns help to
spread drunkenness amongst the Bantu. Many young
Bantu who have never tasted beer before learn to drink
at these Municipal Beer Halls, and from there they crave
for stronger drinks, and thus join illicit liquor traffic, the
result of which is exploitation of the poor unfortunate
Bantu financially. They spend tremendous big sums of
money in purchasing these illicit drinks, and in paying
excessive fines at the Law Courts when they are arrested
at these illicit liquor places. Something m ust be done
to protect the Bantu from this evil.
4. Truthfulness and Honesty.
These were characteristics of most of the Bantu
people. The liars and dishonest were severely punished
by the King. Nowadays some Bantu are drifting away
from truthfulness and honesty. There is a Zulu saying
which is common to-day amongst the Bantu. “ Pika
Mpezeni kuyapikwa ! ” (Deny Mpezeni, it is a custom
to deny!). This was said by a Chief at Court advising
his son who had a case before the M agistrate. May our
people continue to seek for the T ruth as they learnedjt
from the missionaries and that they be honest in their
deals.
(5). Sympathy.
It was the custom of the Bantu to share each other’s
troubles. W hen a person died in a certain locality, it
was a national custom for all the members of that district
to condole the bereaved family. A person who did not
come to express his sympathy to the bereaved was looked
upon as a wizard who had caused the death of the
deceased.
This sympathetic attitude of the Bantu was promi­
nent evfen when Europeans came to live among them.
They heartily mourned for a deceased member of their
European’s m aster’s family.
You all know how the body of the famous Dr.
Livingstone was treated by his servants. Even when
they happen to work for cruel European masters, the
Bantu seldom retaliate. Even when he is tortured the
African rarely loses his temper. Take the case of the
negroes in America, for instance. W hile they were slaves
they did not hate their masters. W hen their m asters
died, they composed a mourning song for him, as this
one: “ All the darkies am a’weeping, Massa in de cold,
cold ground; Down in the cornfields hear their mournful
sound.” Even during the W ar of the Emancipation of
Slaves in America, when men in the South went to war,
negroes were left to look after the families of those who
fought against their emancipation.
I am delighted to say that even to-day my people
have not drifted away from this aspect, with the excep­
tion of a very small minority.
6. Chastity.
Anyone who transgressed the law of chastity among
the Bantu was severely dealt with. In the case of a
married woman, the punishment was death to both
parties.
There were different methods of preserving the
chastity of the Bantu for all sections of the communitv.
Virgins of the district had their own Council, which was
led by the “ Amaqikiza ” (older section). No “ Amatshitsho ” (younger section) were allowed to choose
lovers without the permission of the Amaqikiza. Any
virgin who had offended the virgins of the district by
being careless with her character was badly handled by
the “ Amaqikiza.” In the case of minor cases she was
denounced and scolded, and in serious cases she was
thrashed and rubbed with sand till some parts of her
body bled. A young man of the race who had offended
the virgins was also punished by them as according to
the nature of his offence. In serious cases the young
man was forced to pay a fine of one cow, which was
killed at once and its meat eaten by aged women.
Virgins did not attend the wedding of a virgin who
had got an illegitimate child, and they did not eat the
m eat of her wedding feast.
Virgins were, periodically examined by the married
women of the district in order to find out whether their
virginity was still perfect or not.
All these customs helped to preserve the moral pres­
tige of the Bantu people as a race. May the missionaries
of all denominations and all who are concerned in the
Bantu progress, scrutinise the Native customs and those
which are not contrary to the Bible be not interfered
with. There are some very good customs among the
Bantu which, after they had become Christians, were
wrongfully thrown away.
It grieves my heart to mention definitely that chastity
of the Bantu to-day is not as it used to be. I wish not
to be misunderstood in my above remarks about Bantu
morals. I do not mean to say that the Bantu were
righteous, and that the coming of the missionaries with
the Gospel was unnecessary. Not at a ll! I would never
for a moment nurse that in my mind. As I have men­
tioned earlier in my address, the missionaries have done
great things for the African peoples spiritually and
materially.
In conclusion, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am happy to be able to say that in spite of all these
agencies that tend to lower the morals of the Bantu,
we shall not fear. “ God is our Refuge and Strength,
a very present help in time of trouble. Therefore will
we never, never fear.”
The religion of Jesus Christ, preached by earnest
Christian servants of Our Lord, will in its powerful force
bring all these enemies and many more down at our feet.
“ Glory be to God on high! ”
CONSTITUTION OF THE NATAL MISSIONARY
CONFERENCE.
I.—Objects.
1. To further Christian Missions in Natal and other
parts of South-East Africa.
2. To encourage fraternal intercourse and co­
operation amongst Ministers, Missionaries and others
interested in Mission work belonging to the various
denominations.
3. To disseminate information among the public
generally with a view to arousing a sympathetic under­
standing of missionary operations.
4. To further the education and general advance­
m ent of the Bantu.
5. To collect Missionary statistics.
6 . To obtain papers on subjects relating to Mis­
sionary work.
7. To consider all questions that may bear, through
legislation or otherwise, upon the religious, economic,
social and educational interests of the Bantu.
8. To examine into the methods of Missionary work
with the object of securing, as far as practicable, uni­
formity of action in dealing with Native customs, needs
and development.
9. To co-operate with Joint Councils, Missionary
Conferences, and other bodies working for Native benefit.
II.—Membership.
1.
(a) The Conference shall consist of Ministers,
Missionaries and others connected with any Christian
communion or society.
(b) New members shall ordinarily be admitted by
vote of the m ajority of the Conference on nomination by
a member or members present.
(c) Otherwise applications for membership may be
made to the Executive through the Secretary, the Execu­
tive to have the power to admit such to membership.
2. All members shall be entitled to speak and vote
at any meeting of the Conference.
3. (a) An annual subscription, payable in advance,
shall be paid by each member, as follows: Europeans 5/-,
Bantu members 2/-.
(b)
Any member failing to pay the subscriptions for
two consecutive Conferences shall be deemed to have
forfeited the right of membership.
4. Corresponding members may be admitted by the
vote of the Conference in the usual way, or by Executive
action.
III.—Meetings.
1. An annual meeting shall be held at the time and
place appointed by the Executive.
2. During its session Conference shall be opened
each day with the reading of scripture and prayer, devo­
tional exercises, and each adjournm ent shall be accom­
panied with prayer.
3. The meetings of the Conference shall be presided
over by the President, or, in his absence, by a VicePresident.
4. The order of proceedings shall be arranged by
the Executive.
5. Subjects for discussion shall not be introduced
without notice, except by permission of the Conference.
6. Sittings shall be held with open doors unless the
Conference, in any special case, decide otherwise.
7. A report of the proceedings shall be prepared by
the Secretary, and printed, if funds permit.
8. A Balance Sheet shall be prepared and printed
with the Report of Proceedings.
IV.—Officers.
1.
The officers shall consist of a President, a
European Vice-President, a Bantu Vice-President, a'nd
a Secretary-Treasurer, chosen at each Conference for the
ensuing Conference, and to take office at the close of
the Conference at which they are elected.
2 . The Executive shall consist of the four officers,
together with the retiring President and Vice-Presidents,
and one lady member.
3. A Nominating Committee of five shall be chosen
early in each Conference to present nominations, two
names to be presented for each of the four vacancies.
(b) Other nominations may be made by members.
(c) Voting shall be by ballot.
4. In the event of the President and Vice-Presidents
being absent, Conference shall elect a new President at
the beginning of the Conference.
5. Four shall constitute a quorum for meeting of
the Executive.
HONORARY ROLL.
Miss Grace Hitchcock, U.S.A.
Miss Mary Hitchcock, U.S.A.
Dr. Geo. Gale, Fort Hare, Alice, Cape Province.
Rev. J. D. Taylor, D.D., 19 Eleanor Street, Fairview,
Johannesburg.
EMERITUS ROLL.
Rev. S. and Mrs. Aitchison, Harding.
Rev. N. Braatvedt, Durban.
Rev. John Bruce, M.A., Scotland.
Rev. H. Cotton, 32 Lancaster Road, Durban.
Mrs. S. Ransom, U.S.A.
Rev. David RusselL
Miss L. Graham, Bulwer.
Rev. L. O. Feyling, Durban North.
Rev. J. Metcalf, Caister Crescent, Durban. '
ACTIVE ROLL.
Abraham, Rev. R. L., Groutville.
A4kleby, Rev. J., Emtulwa M.S., Mt. Elias P.O.
Adnesgaard, Rev., Qudeni.
Astrup, The Rt. Rev. Bishop Johs., D.D., Kranskop.
Ballentine, Rev. T. R., 342 Musgrave Road, Durban.
Barker, Miss Marion, Pisgah M.S., Harding-.
Bates, W. G., 86 Beatrice Street, Durban.
Botterell, Miss Inez, Dumisa.
Brittenden, Miss R. L., Inanda Seminary, Phoenix.
Brookes, Dr. Edgar H., Adams M.S.
Brueckner, Dr. K. R., Adams M.S.
Caluza, Rev. F. M., 47 Sidney Road, Durban.
Carter, Miss Minnie E., Inanda Seminary, Phoenix.
Cawston, Dr. F. G., 14 Britannia Buildings, Durban.
Christoferson, Rev. A. F., Esperanza.
Clarke, Miss E. F., 43 North Ridge Road, Durban.
Cragg, Rev. A. W. and Mrs., 91 Ridge Road. Scottsville,
Pieterm aritzburg.
Dahle, Rev. S., Umpumulo M.S., Mapumulo.
Dear, Miss I. S., Pisgah M.S., Harding.
Dent, S. R., P.O. Box 395, Maritzburg.
Dewar, Rev. James, 188 Loop Street, Maritzburg.
Dower, Rev. M artin J., 88 Gordon Road, Durban.
Dube, Mr. Charles, Inyoni, Zululand.
Dube, Rev. J. L., Ph.D. Ohlange, Phoenix.
Falck, Rev. S. M., P.O. Box 88, Dundee.
Farup, Rev. J. (on furlough, U.S.A.).
Ferguson, Mr. A. N., Mansfield M.S., Izkigolweni.
Fridolv, Rev. C., P.O. Box 37, Komatipoort, Transvaal.
Frost, Miss C. E., Adams M.S.
Follosoe, Rev. N. M., Mtunzini P.O., Zululand.
Gibbs, Rev. E. S., Izingolweni.
Gilje, Miss B., Umpumulo Inst., P.O. Mapumulo.
Goddard, Rev. Frank, Ikwezi M.S., Harding.
- Gronli.'-'R^v J, -F^-(x>n- fiirloHffh, TJ.StA t^.
Gumede, Rev. Posselt, Inanda P.O., via Phoenix.
Gumede, Dr. Inis, Inanda P.O., via' Phoenix.
Gumede, Rev. Enos B., 26 Somtseu Road, Durban.
Haldorsen, Rev. M. C., Empangeni.
Halland Mrs., A. W., Izotsha.
Hallendorf, Rev. K., Rorkesdrift.
Harris, Mrs. E. A. M., Dumisa P.O.
Hartm an, Miss A., Item ba M.S., Enqabeni.
Hawkins, Rev. John and Mrs., Lansdowne M.S., M atubatuba.
Hervey, Rev. P. J. and Mrs., 26 Somtseu Road, Durban.
Johanson, Rev. K. J., 129 Hartley Rd., Overport, Durban.
Jonsson, Miss S., Box 88, Dundee.
Kempe, Dean A. R. Box 88, Dundee.
Kjelvei, Rev. John, Eotimati M.S., P.O. Mapumulo.
Keyes, Mrs. A. K., 95 W indermere Road, Durban.
Kriel, Miss M. M., Y.W.C.A., Esplanade, Durban.
Krook, Miss H., Umpumulo M.S., Mapumulo.
Larsen, Miss E., Kwa Mondi, Eshowe, Zululand.
Leisegang, Rev. T. M., Mahlabatini, Zululand.
Lowe, Sister M., Concord, 95 W indermere Road, Durban.
Luthuli, Chief Albert, Groutville.
Mahon, Mr. A., Draycott Rail.
Magnussen, Rev. E., H artley Road, Durban.
Makhanya, H. M. S. & Mrs., Imbumbulu M.S., Amanzimtoti.
Makhanya, Miss Sibusisiwe Violet, Imbumbulu M.S.,
Amanzimtoti.
Malcolm, Mr. D. McK., Box 395, Maritzburg.
Matibela, Mr. A. F., 48 Cathedral Road, Durban.
Matthews, Mr. Z. K., Fort Hare, Alice, C.P.
Mavaneni, Rev. J., Appelsbosch, via Dalton.
McCord, Dr. J. B. (on furlough, U.S.A.).
Molefe, Rev. Geo. B., Methodist Native Church, New­
castle.
Mpanza, Rev. M. J., Box 1570, Durban.
Mtimkulu, Rev. am LM r 3==A., 79 North Street, Durban.
Myklebust, Rev. and Mrs. O. G., Umpumulo Inst., P.O.
Mapumulo.
Ndawonde, Rev. W., P.O. Inanda, via Phoenix.
Nduli, Rev. N. M., 86 Beatrice Street, Durban.
Ngcobo, Rev. R. M., P.O. Umtwalumi.
Ngcobo, Mr. Selby, Adams M.S.
Nhlapo, Rev. S., St. Faith’s Mission, Durban.
Nicholls, Rev. A., Edendale, via Maritzburg.
Nyembezi, Rev. I. M., Indaleni M.S., Richmond.
Odendaal, Rev. M. W., Dundee.
O ’Hanlon, Miss K., c/o Mrs. W . L. Neithardt, Clairwood.
Palm, Sister M artha, Mahlabatini, Zululand.
Pamla, Rev. N., Driefontein.
Phipson, Mr. C. A. and Mrs., 17 Phipson Rd., Scottsville,
Maritzburg.
Reuling, Mr. John and Mrs., Adams M.S.
Rodseth, Rev. P. A., Kwa Mondi, via Eshowe.
Sandburg, Nurse A., P.O. Ceza, Zululand.
Sandstrom, Rev. J.
furlougfo7~8 weden).
Scoggings, Rev. F., The Deanery, Loop Street, Pieter­
maritzburg.
Scroombie, Rev. G. A., Mehlomnyama.
Sibiya, Rev. J. M., Dundee.
Sililo, Rev. M., New Scotland, M aritzburg.
Sililo, Rev. T., Adams M.S.
Sivetye, Rev. G. M., Imfumi M.S., via Umkomaas.
Skarin, Miss A., P.O. Ceza, Zululand.
Skavang, Miss M., Eshowe, Zululand.
Steele, Rev. E. H., St. Faiths, Carlisle Street, Durban.
Stick, Rev. H. A. and Mrs., Adams M.S.
Suter, Rev. F„ Dumisa.
Taylor, Dr. A. B., 29 McCord Road, Overport, Durban.
Titlestad, Rev. L. M., 150 Bellevue Road, Durban.
W albridge, Miss M. E., Inanda Seminary, Phoenix.
W ebb, Mr. Maurice, 123 Manning Road, Durban.
W hiteman, Mr. H. W., 41a Prince Street, Durban.
Zululand, The Rt. Rev. Bishop W m., Vryheid.
Collection Number: AD1715
SOUTH AFRICAN INSTITUTE OF RACE RELATIONS (SAIRR), 1892-1974
PUBLISHER:
Collection Funder:- Atlantic Philanthropies Foundation
Publisher:- Historical Papers Research Archive
Location:- Johannesburg
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