6.4. BU Administrative funds
6.4.2. Formation of the Rhodesian Fund (1923)
BU and the Book Depot.325 Also in the same year, the fund - under the new name - listed in its financial statement the total value of those loans charged at 5% and those at 2'/2%; - a decision which was approved at the 1923 BU Assembly. This was the first step, of a number to follow, which were also meant to make the Fund "more available,"326 as shall later327 be observed. Also to be observed is how this Fund, in 1936, in a similar manner, encompassed the SABMS Trust Fund, the Transvaal Building Fund and the Rhodesian Fund.
"two good stands in Salisbury, one for a Church and the other for the missionary's residence." Furthermore:
Soon after this has been done he learned that a stand with a good brick building on it, in one of the most central parts of the town, was to be sold by auction. He attended the sale and purchased the property for £535. The stand of 110ft. by 60. This building affords living accommodation for our missionary and his family, and it also contains a room 28ft. by 19 in which to hold religious services, and in this room Divine worship is now conducted regularly.
In addition to this Mr Eales has secured a farm for the mission of 2,420 morgen, which is situated about 15 miles out of Salisbury. Here then we have in our Northern Mission five stands and one farm, all of which are made over to trustees for the Baptist Union of South Africa. But as we are not likely to require the three stands in Salisbury for some time to come, we have advised our Agent there to sell one of the stands in order to assist us to pay for the stand on which a building has been erected, which building is now used for the twofold purpose of a dwelling and a place of worship.333
This was the beginning of South African Baptist mission work in Rhodesia. But Mr Eales had thus far "been labouring mainly among the white population of the city, but he has been, and still is, preparing for what we hope will prove efficient work among the Natives." In addition, he "is trying very hard to acquire a knowledge of the Mashona language, and in this he has so far succeeded as to be able to translate a portion of the Gospel by John into that language."335
It is interesting to note that, regarding this work commenced by Mr Eales in Salisbury, the BU in its financial records called it the: "Baptist Union Industrial Mission, Rhodesia."336
Under it, among some of the receipts recorded is an amount of £178.17s. 2d. collected in England by Revs Hughes and Batts, and a donation of £100 from "The Rt. Honourable C. J.
Rhodes."337 But in 1897, the Rhodesia mission plan came to a halt when the Assembly passed the resolution, after receiving a letter from Mr Eales, that "the Northern Committee be instructed to place the case of the Rev G. Eales and this Union into the hands of Messrs
332 Ibid.
333 Ibid,p. 51.
334 Ibid
335 Ibid
336 See
337 Ibid
•id.
lid.
ee Baptist Union Industrial Mission, Rhodesia, in BU Handbook for 1896-1897, p. 57.
•id.
Frames and Grimmer, solicitors, with the view of selling the town stand acquired by purchase to pay our liabilities, and giving their opinion as to our indebtedness to Mr Eales, having regard to the agreement and its fulfillment or otherwise."338 In other words, Mr Eales was resigning from this work and requiring a financial settlement. Accompanying this resolution were the following four recommendations: Firstly, "That no salary be paid beyond the end of June, 1896, when Mr Eales acknowledges he gave up work, and all collections and donations received by him to be deducted there from."339 Secondly, "That an effort should be made to retain the stands in Salisbury and Banana Grove Farm. That if a sale is effected, it should be through Messrs Frames and Grimmer."340 Thirdly, "Before doing anything, a full statement should be received from Mr Eales; also of assets and disposition of transfers and deeds."341
Lastly, 'That these payments be made - interest, £34.19s.; Frames and Grimmer, £28.16s.;
Deary, £15.19s.4d.; unpaid on property, £50."342
•
In the following year, 1897, the Assembly resolved 'That the present Executive of the Baptist Union and all their successors in that capacity be appointed as Trustees for the Missionary Society property situated in Rhodesia, possessed or to be possessed."343
Furthermore, "That the Rev J. L. Gifford and Messrs J. George, Greenwood White, J.
Stanley, and G. Neal be elected as a Committee to cooperate with the Baptist Missionary Committee to obtain titles to all property in Rhodesia, belonging to the S.AB. Union, and also for conference regarding any liability or asset connected with the Baptist Union in that country."344 This resolution was also reiterated in the following year's Assembly.345 Given the settlement reached with Mr Eales two years earlier, financial resources on Rhodesian work seem to have returned to a sound footing since, during the 1898 Missionary Session, it was resolved that "the salaries of the Missionaries [in Northern Mission] be increased as recommended by the Committee."346
538 Northern Mission Report, in BU Handbook for 1897-1898, p., 28.
339 Ibid.
340 Ibid.
341 Ibid.
342 Ibid.
343 Minutes of the Missionary Session of the BU Assembly of 1898, in BU Handbook for 1898-1899, p. 71.
344 Ibid. Also at this Session, "Thirteen documents connected with the Bulawayo property were handed to the Secretary to be deposited in the [Baptist] Union safe." (Ibid.).
343 See Minutes of the Missionary Session of the BU Assembly of 1899, in BU Handbook for 1899-1900, p. 64.
346 Minutes of the Missionary Session of the BU Assembly of 1898, in BU Handbook for 1898-1899, p. 71.
In 1902, the BU Assembly decided to apply for funding for European work in Rhodesia. This was to "the Baptist S.A.C.M.AS. [South African Colonial and Missionary Aid Society] for
£200. "347 While the assembly, on the one hand, applied for financial assistance for European work, it decided on the other, "That the Northern Committee draft a scheme for native work in Rhodesia and place the same before the B.S.A.C.M.A.S., requesting it to approach the Arthington Trust for the necessary funds; and, in the event of the same being obtained correspond, with the [BU] Executive regarding suitable mea"348 But the same assembly further passed another resolution which brought to an end the existence of the Northern Committee: "That the Missionary Committee be asked to take over the duties of the Northern Committee after their report has been received."34 This decision became the beginning of an
"aggressive" missionary effort, by the South African Baptists in Rhodesia.
For a start, at the General Missionary Conference, held in Johannesburg from 5th to 11th July, 1907, at which the South African Baptists were represented by Rev Chapman, he reported the following:
In connection with the question of the areas of occupation, and especially in regard to the demarcation of Rhodesia, the Conference was informed of the possession by our Union of three farms situated respectively near Bulawayo, Laurencedale, and Banana Grove, near Salisbury; and that it was the intention of the [Baptist] Union to make these the basis of Missionary occupation, especially on the lines of Industrial Mission work. The Secretary of the Northern Missionary Conference emphasized the need of work in Northern Rhodesia, stated that this area was at present practically unoccupied, and urged our Society to take immediate steps to commence work in Banana Grove or Laurencedale. While thanking Rev T.
Chapman for the services rendered as their representative, the Committee earnestly hopes that, either by the means of a successful application to the Arthington Trust, or by some other means, it may be possible to effectively occupy on the lines of Industrial Mission work in the area which Providence has placed in our hands ... where we are encouraged by the General Conference to enter and break up fallow ground; and at the same time to do something towards the accomplishment of the summation devoutly to be wished by some of us when by
117 348 Ibid
Minutes of 1902 BU Assembly, in BU Handbook for 1900-1903, p. 148.
] m Ibid.
the construction of the present Cape to Cairo line the work of the great Baptist Missionary Society on the Congo and our own will join hands.330
However, in 1908, the BU Executive sold off its stands in Rhodesia,351 although acquiring another industrial mission, in this case, the Nyasaland Industrial Mission, at Ndola, in 1913.352 According to the Committee of the SABMS, "if the Society is to take upon itself responsibility for this new field in Rhodesia, there will be need for a strong assurance of the increased support of the Churches."3 This is because; "taking over this work will necessitate an increase of our annual income by some £600. Your Society's average annual expenditure for the three years ended September 30, 1912, not including the cost of the Pondoland Institute building, was £1,413.6s.6d. ... your income would need to be increased 42%."354 The money needed to cover the cost of this Pondoland work came forth, to the extent that new work in Rhodesia was initiated, particularly in Kafulafuta, Lambaland and Somabula,337 all of which are in the southern part of Rhodesia.
Eight years later, in 1920, the Rhodesian Committee presented a decisive report on the way forward regarding the South African Baptists' mission work in Rhodesia. Firstly, "That after hearing the report of the sub-Committee the Banana Grove and Bulawayo properties be sold as they are unsuitable for our purposes."358 Secondly, "That the money received by the sale of these properties be held in trust for work in Rhodesia."359 Thirdly, "That a request having been sent by the Somabula people for the appointment of a Minister we favourably entertain
350 Report of Missionary Society for 1905-1906, in BU Handbook for 1906-1907, pp. 40-41. Further, see also Chapter 2, for a discussion on the missionaries' understanding of space as moral geography.
3,1 Minutes of 1908 BU Assembly, in BU Handbook for 1908-1909, p. 21. See also Report of the BU Executive to the 31" Annual Assembly of the Baptist Union of South Africa, in BU Handbook for 1909-1910, p. 12.
352 Minutes of the Missionary Session of 1913 BU Assembly, in BU Handbook for 1913-1914, p. 33. The resolution read: "That this meeting, having received the Report of Mr Clement Doke of the visit of the Rev J. J.
Doke to the Mission Field of the Nyasaland Industrial Mission, which has been proposed should be transferred to this Society, authorizes the new Committee to proceed with negotiations for the taking over of the work as soon as they have secured a capital amount as a Doke Memorial Fund, for the purchase of the properties of the Mission, and the assurance of the Churches of the necessary increase of the Society's income to provide for the annual support of the new work."
3,3 The 21** Annual Report of the SABMS Committee, in BU Handbook for 1913-1914, p. 43.
354 Ibid., p. 42.
335 The 23rd Annual Report of the SABMS Committee, in BU Handbook for 1914-1915, p. 37.
356 Ibid., p. 39.
357 The 31" Annual Report of the SABMS Committee, in BU Handbook for 1923-1924, p. 51.
358 Minutes of 1920 BU Assembly, in BU Handbook for 1919-1920, p. 24.
359 Ibid.
the suggestion and hereby request the Rev. J.F. Niebuhr to take charge of the proposed work,
,360
to form a Church, and generally to pioneer there with Gwelo as a centre.' He is to be appointed with a "salary [to] be not less than £400 per annum"361
Regarding this salary, it was agreed that "the Executive guarantee [it] for the first year, and that all subscriptions and collections at the services be remitted to the Union Treasurer."362 In addition to his salary, Mr. Niebuhr's "travelling expenses [shall] be also met by the Union during his first year."363 Besides these, "special efforts [shall] be made for special expenditure by the people."364 To meet these expenses, "the necessary money [shall] be loaned from the 100,000 Shilling Fund at 2'A per cent rate of interest and that it be repaid in twelve years at most or sooner ... until interest accrues from the investment of the Rhodesian properties."365 To carry out these resolutions, a committee consisting of the Revs A.E. Brett, J.F. Niebuhr (to whom the new post was being offered) and Messrs T. Riemer and H.
Schmidt was appointed to carry out negotiations in regard to the sale of the properties and re- investment of the proceeds.
Rev Niebuhr who was immediately appointed after the above resolutions were carried, did not work for long with the SABMS in Rhodesia, as in 1925 he resigned. Reporting on his resignation, the SABMS Committee reported that: "Since Rev J. Niebuhr ceased to be employed by the Baptist Union our work at Somabula has been continued by the evangelist Joseph Monama and his wife, and other arrangements for oversight are under consideration"366 Monama. unlike Niebuhr, who started working for the SABMS in Mashona and Mate be land as early as 1919, was reported to be "an educated Matebele, whose worth and work have been proved in our King Williams town Missioa"367 According to the SABMS Committee: "We took it as a further proof that God wanted the Society to move in this direction, when a gentleman said: 'I willingly fall in with the idea of sending a Native
Ibid.
.(60 J6' Ibid.
362 Ibid.
3M Ibid.
3M Ibid.
365 Ibid.
366 The 32nd Annual Report of the SABMS, in BU Handbook for 1925-1926, p. 15.
367 The 27lh Annual Report of the SABMS, in BU Handbook for 1919-1920, p. 41.
Evangelist to S. Rhodesia and will give £24 towards his first year's salary and £10 more for the travelling expenses.'"368 Monama was of great benefit to the Society as he is also reported to know "the country well, and speaks the Kaffir, Sesuto, and Matebele languages."369 And, "Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and with the help of Rev J. F.
Niebuhr, who also is going to Rhodesia on pioneer work shortly [in 1920, as discussed above], we are expecting success."370
A year later, 1926, after the report that Rev Niebuhr had ceased to be employed by the SABMS in Rhodesia, Monama was reported to be still continuing the work in Southern Rhodesia.371 In Northern Rhodesia (Lambaland), mission work continued under Mr Cross.372
It is against this backdrop that the Rhodesian Fund came into existence: acquisition of many acres of land, although some were later dispensed with; unsuccessful settlement of European Baptist missionaries in Rhodesia; and money raised both in South Africa and overseas for work in Rhodesia. The land acquired and the money raised from the sale of some of these large areas of land became the revenue and assets of the Rhodesian Fund.
By the close of the 1926 financial year, in June, the Fund had assets to the value of
£2,779.10s.8d., most of which was by loans on mortgage (£2,510.0s.0d.). From this, £100 was loaned to the Trust Fund. 3 ' The close of the following financial year saw similar figures. That is, out of the total assets of £2,958.7s.4d., an amount of £2,410.0s.Od. was by loans on mortgage. But this time, no amount was loaned to the Trust Fund.374 This type of annual report on the Rhodesian Fund remained the same until 1944375 - the year when the
368 Ibid.
369 Ibid.
370 Ibid.
371 The Annual Report of the SABMS given at the BU Assembly at Port Elizabeth, September 1926, in BU Handbook for 1926-1927, p. 19.
372 Ibid.
373 Baptist Union Rhodesian Fund Statement of Revenue and Expenditure for the year ending .><>"' June 1926, in BU Handbook for 1926-1927, p. 40.
374 Baptist Union Rhodesian Fund Statement of Revenue and Expenditure for the year ending 30th June 1927, in BU Handbook for 1927-1928, p. 66.
375 See for example: Baptist Union Rhodesian Fund Statement of Revenue and Expenditure for the year ending 30th June 1934, in BU Handbook for 1934-1935, p. 56; Baptist Union Rhodesian Fund Statement of Revenue and Expenditure for the year ending 30th June 1937, in BU Handbook for 1937-1938, p. 51; and Baptist Union Rhodesian Fund Statement of Revenue and Expenditure for the year ending 3001 June 1941, in BU Handbook for 1941-1942, p. 43.
last report on this Fund appeared. It was mainly a statement of revenue and expenditure, with most of its assets used as loans on mortgage to the European churches. In 1930 there is, however, a mention of £133.6s.8d.376 as a stipend for Rev Brett, which in 1932 was reported to be £147.6s.8d.377 Therefore, since 1926, the Fund had become a holding fund in that its only purpose was to provide loan capital to the churches for their mortgages. The land acquired in Rhodesia served as a valuable asset for this fund.
6.5. The SABMS's administrative and missionaries' benefit funds
One should remember, as pointed out before, that all the funds, which were formed for the benefit of European ministers also benefited European missionaries. There is only one fund in the history of the Baptist Church of South Africa that was established solely for the SABMS. This was the SABMS Trust Fund. Like the BU Trust Fund, which was a trust for most of the BU funds, the SABMS Trust Fund was also a trust for most of the "SABMS funds." That is, contributions that came from a number of BU funds into the SABMS were managed through this Fund. As will be shown below, this Fund, like the BU Trust Fund, was for the benefit of European Baptists, in this case the Baptist missionaries.
6.5.1. Background on European missionaries' salaries and fringe benefits (1896-1924)