6.3. Funds to generate capital for the BU
6.3.1. Inauguration of the 20* Century Fund (1899)
By the close of the 1890 's, there was only one fund existing in the Baptist Church of South Africa. This fund was the Annuity Fund, formed in 1894, seventeen years after the formation of the BU in 1877. In 1899, the year that the Anglo-Boer war began, another fund was formed at this Assembly, held in Pretoria. This was the 20th Century Fund, also referred to as the Forward Movement Fund. Prior to discussing this Fund, it is important to note that this Assembly was different to all previous BU Assemblies in that it was opened by "His Honour, S. J. P. Kruger, Staats [meaning State] President."153 Peculiar about this occasion is that, the BU, an English led body, which held its assembly in the Transvaal, an Afrikaner republic, was addressed by the republic's president at the verge of an Afrikaners (Boer) versus English (Anglo) war.
148 Ibid., pp. 29-30.
149 Ibid., p. 30.
150 It is important to note that this Laymen's Session is not the same as the report by the Laymen's Committee of 1920, concerning ministerial stipends.
151 Minutes of 1926 BU Assembly, in BU Handbook for 1926-1927, p. 31.
152 Ibid.
1,3 Notes of the Session of the XXII Annual Assembly, in BU Handbook for 1899-1900, p. 10.
Somewhat acknowledging this contradiction, the outgoing BU president, Rev G. W. Cross,154
in his address hinted: "We are of English and German speech, but we are one with you in the worship and service of our Lord Jesus Christ."155 He further mentioned: "We have seen the marvellous rise of this State, have noted its wonderful deliverance, and have honoured in you, Sire (sic), a strong, God-fearing ruler - one entrusted by God with the sword of the State - called to be God's Minister to this people for good. We have rejoiced in you as an upholder of our precious Protestant Faith, and have noted with joy your service and support of your own Puritan Church."156 As could be expected, consistent with the tone he had commenced with, he further added: "We are here to co-operate with Your Honour in all work for the People's good. We know that a state, like a man, is only strong through purity, only exalted by righteousness."157 Kruger, of course, responded, not forgetting, however, to affirm that he was a Christian by stating:
I call you brothers and sisters because you believe with me in Christ. When I see how the Gospel is being spread, I think of the words, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring messages of peace.' Those words are dear to me, and I rejoice to see the fulfilment of the Word. ... For this reason I am glad that I have been able to come here - to see and to feel that peace is preached also in this Church in the name of Christ.1
Concerning the Fund, which was also discussed during the BU Assembly, the Assembly resolved: "That the [Baptist] Union inaugurate a forward movement and take steps to raise a sum of £5,000, to be called the XXth Century Fund."159 According to Notes of the Session,
"many momentous questions were discussed in [the] Session and wise resolutions were passed, but the XXth Century Fund is the most important movement of the year. [This is because] South Africa is advancing."160 Elaborating on this, the minutes further recorded:
"Since our Union started die wealth of the country has multiplied itself by 10 and again by
154 According to Minutes of the 1899 BU Assembly, in BU Handbook for 1899-1900, p. 54, the ex-president, Rev G. W. Cross, after opening the Assembly "retired from the chair, and in the regretted absence of the President, Rev J. B. Hear, Mi I 11 Grocott was elected to preside over the meetings, which he did at each session."
155 Notes of the Session of the XXII Annual Assembly, in BU Handbook for 1899-1900, p. 10.
156 Ibid.
157 Ibid.
158 Ibid.
159 Ibid., p. 14.
160 Ibid.
10; the population has increased and the Great Lone Land now contains centres of crowded, burning life; British rule has extended from Kimberley to Tanganyika; and everywhere are open doors we are not entering and calls we are not heeding."161 Concerning the total figure for the fund, the BU Executive added: "£5,000 seems small, and indeed it is small for the work which is before us."162 While making this comment, the Executive acknowledged however that: "Our Churches are most of them young and hampered with debt, the work of the Mission grows upon us and its demand has arisen from a hundred to a thousand pounds per annum, in the course of a very few years."1 3
Pertaining to the resolution to inaugurate the Forward Movement and to raise the sum of
£5,000, the Assembly also added: 'The Fund shall close on March 318t, 1901, and be distributed as follows: one-fifth to the S.A.B. Missionary Society, one-tenth to the Annuity Fund, [and] seven-tenths to the developing work of the [Baptist] Union in the most needy centres - Transvaal and Rhodesia being specially recommended."164 Furthermore, that "each Church in the [Baptist] Union be earnestly requested to form a capable Committee to promote this Fund; that the Executive draw up an historic roll, on which shall be inscribed the name of each subscriber of one guinea and upwards to the Fund, and that friends be invited to commemorate the names of departed worthies of the Baptist Churches in South Africa by this means."165 Lastly, that "the Executive act as a Central Committee for organizing and raising this Fund."
But by March 31gt, 1900, the Fund had not made much progress. This was due to the outbreak of the war and the consequent loss of and inconvenience to "many of our Churches, [therefore] decided us not to press this fund, as instructed by the last Assembly."167 As a
161 Ibid.
162 Ibid., pp. 14-15.
163 Ibid., p. 15.
164 Minutes of 1899 BU Assembly, in BU Handbook for 1899-1900, pp. 59-60.
165 Ibid., p. 60.
166 Ibid.
167 BU Executive Report to the Twenty-third Annual Assembly of B.U.S.A., in BU Handbook for 1900-1903, p.
31. (Due to the Anglo-Boer War, the BU Handbooks for 1900-1901, 1901-1902 and 1902-1903 were not produced, thus there was only one BU Handbook for 1900-1903.). A special War losses Fund was even formed. It disbursed in total 1272.0s Id. and remained with a balance in hand of £101.4s.3d. See War Losses
result of the war, early in it, the BU "made an appeal to the Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain and Ireland, for £5,000 from [its] 20th Century Fund to enable [them] to restart [the] Northern Churches."168 Reporting sadly on this, "Apparently without coming before the Council, our request was considered out of order,"169 remarked the BU Executive. Given this, the executive further reported: "There was nothing for us to do, but immediately to open a special fund here, to assist the pastors of the Northern Churches, in the straits to which most of them were reduced."170 The disappointing response from the BU in Britain did not discourage the BU in South Africa, as it made further appeals "to the denominations at home [Britain] though the press, [about which] some slight response has been made to the various letters that have appeared but communications sent to Australia, Canada, the United States, have not been acknowledged."171 In addition, lectures delivered in England by the Rev J.
I-1 ma Is have helped "to swell the amount received from home."172 And the response "in this Colony was immediate and good and we have been able to minister though inadequately to our men in their dire need."173
Given the unsatisfactory response that the BU in South Africa had received from that in Britain, the BU Executive reported that it would submit a proposal to the 1901 Assembly, for the formation of the Home Aid Society in Great Britain. This, as will later be observed, came to be called the Colonial Aid Society. In addition to being disappointed due to lack of financial assistance from the BU at home (Britain), the South African BU Executive reported the resignation of the BU President, Rev J. B. Heard, from the BU. According to the report:
The Rev J. B. Heard, did not return to South Africa till after some time after the Pretoria Assembly. Owing to the publication in the Handbook of the address to President Kniger, he announced to the members of the executive individually, that he withdrew from the [Baptist]
Fund Balance Sheet submitted by the Treasurer, Mr H Hall, to the 23rd Annual Assembly of the B.U.S.A. July, 1900, to May, 1901, in BU Handbook for 1900-1903, p. 60.
168 BU Executive Report to the Twenty-third Annual Assembly of B.U.S.A., in BU Handbook for 1900-1903, p.
30.
169 Ibid.
170 Ibid.
m Ibid.
172 Ibid.
m Ibid.
Union. This he did without either calling the Assembly, or even the executive together and the work of that body was considerably hampered in consequence.174
Heard's resignation leaves many questions regarding the reasons why he did not approve of the address to the 1899 BU Assembly by President Kruger. This is because, unlike those of previous BU presidents, Heard's presidential address was never published in the BU Handbook. Its publication would undoubtedly have provided clues about his theological and ideological stance. By way of probing his resignation, for a start: Could it be that his pro- British colonial politics clouded his judgment? Or, could it be that he knew that the "internal"
BU's (an English body) attitude to Kruger, president of an Afrikaner state, was the opposite of what was portrayed by this public occasion?
Regarding the 20* Century Fund, the 1901 Assembly resolved: "That the time has passed for carrying out the resolution of the Assembly, at its last session [1899], regarding the Twentieth Century Fund."175 This resulted in the Assembly authorizing "the President [Rev E. Baker] and the Secretary to visit Johannesburg, to confer with Baptist Churches, and individual Baptists there, with a view to inaugurating a Forward Movement in the new era." Moreover: "That up to the sum of £400 be allocated for the Forward Movement in Johannesburg."177 This was the last resolution and report on this Fund. A similar fund was reintroduced in 1920,178 though with different emphasis. The reason for this was possibly due to the new fund, the Colonial Aid Society, which received more support.