Morija.December, 194-6.

Dear Friends,INTRODUCTION. Protestantism in Basutoland has done great

work in the past. We have only to recall the names of Casalis, Ar- bousset, Mabille, Jacottet and Dieterlen, not to mention many others, and a whole epic of the faith passes through our mind. If the Basuto tribe has been able to preserve its independent character through all the vicissitudes of the 19th century, it has been due to the unceasing efforts and sacrifices of the missionaries. Left to himself, Moshesh would have perished,as perished many others more powerful, but less well-advised than he.

At all times the Protestant missionaries have kept in close touch with the people, and have refrained from establishing anything which would be beyond their means, because to erect magnificent buildings which cannot be kept up is not to establish a durable work. It is not one of the least meritg of the Protestant missionaries that they were able to understand this aspect of the problem of evangelisation. To-day a Native church exists, modest in outward appearance, but to which the Basuto are sincerely attached.

STAT1STICS. Numerically the situation is as followsCommunicants,...... 49,212Candidates........ .14.875,. .

64,087School children 46,946Total Registered Adherents 111.0^3

It is obvious that the total Protestant population, if all the small children and those in sympathy with the church are included, is double the above figure, which takes account only of those who nominally belong to the Church.

These Christians are divided among 41 large churches and nearly 400 smaller centres. The Native church is responsible for 43O schools with 772 teachers and 65 teacher-evangelists. It has 35 ordained Native ministers and 213 evangelists.

The present expenditure of the Native church amounts to some £5*535 which is balanced by an income of £5*554. Thus all its resources aro swallowed by its expenditure. It will be important to keep this fact in mind when we discuss the question of the new situation created by the educational policy of the Government.

THE POLICY OF THE MISSION. Since the beginning, as we have already shown, the policy of the Mission has been to respect the individuality of the Native, and to keep in step with the development of the tribe, which, nevertheless, it has often inspired. We believe that the leaders should not become a privileged caste raised above the common standard but should remain, as far as material conditions are concerned, on a level which local resources can support. It is natural that missionary work should require an initial investment of capital, and the faithful support of mother-churches for many years. But a Native church must become self-supporting if it is going to live and reach its majority. At the time of its centenary in 1933j the P.E.M.S. was able to envisage a Native Church firmly established, and materially strong enough to live on its own resources. The policy of gradual withdrawal, then already begun, has since been accelerated, and more and more the responsibility has been transferred to the Natives. At the present time, the Mission supplies only the strict minimum of European missionaries necessary for carrying on the ecclesiastical work, namely seven, of whom one is in charge of the work in the Witwatersrand.

We have, however, also maintained a flourishing Teachers' Training College for boys, another for girls, a theological school for training Ministers, and a Bible School for evangelists so as to produce

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the trained personel necessary for the life of the Church. There is also a trade school at Leloaleng. These specialised schools are naturally directed by European staffs, but the Native element in them is important and increasing. This European staff is additional to that engaged in the work of the Churches.

It goes without saying that the resources set free by the progress of the Church of Basutoland have been applied by the Society to other mission fields in greater need, and are no longer available for use here.

THE PRESENT SITUATION. To-day this Protestant Church is in danger. The very least that can be said is that it is confronted by enormous difficulties, beyond the strength of a Native Church. If no help comes from outside, retrenchment will be unavoidable, and certain important parts of our work must be abandoned. These positions will be occupied by the Roman Catholic Church which is at present making a tremendous effort to establish itself in Basutoland, having recognised the strategic position of Basutoland for the conquest of South Africa.

THE CAUSES OF THE CRISIS. There are three chief causes for the present crisis s-A, The educational policy of the Government.B. The Roman Catholic Church which has become aggressive.0. The weakening of our church due to the effects of the war.

A. The Educational Policy of the Government. The Government of Basutoland has begun a forward policy in Education, following the report of a commission sent in 194-5 by the Secretary for the Dominions to inquire into and make recommendations concerning education in Basutoland, The Colonial Welfare and Development Fund is making a considerable investment of funds in the general development of Basutoland, but only a small proportion is available for education. Yet the carrying out of the recommendations of the report requires an expenditure far beyond the present resources of the Territory.

In these conditions, the Government has turned to the Missions for considerable assistance. The new Education Ordinance, about to be promulgated, aims at the advancement of education in Basutoland. As everyone recognises, it will mean a considerable improvement on what has been done in the past. There will be more order, more co-ordination, the effort will be better directed, and, one hopes, the schools will become more efficient. The only weak point in all this is that the plan does not take sufficient account of the actual resources of the country. To carry out the plan, even reduced to its minimum, outside assistance is necessary. That coming from the Colonial Office is insufficient, and it is the Missions which have been called upon to supplement it. It has come to this, that it is no longer the Government which helps the Missions in their educational work, but it is the Missions which are asked to help in the effort of the Government. Those who can do this will be favoured, those who cannot will see their schools closed one after the other. Besides the fact that it is a paradox to see democracy turning over a part of its duties to the Church, there is also injustice in compelling the church to burden itself with syllabuses, scales, pensions and the building of schools according to a fixed plan. We believe that once education becomes a universal need in a nation, it should become the responsibility of the Government.

What is the position of the Basutoland Church in this state of affairs? At the present time, it cannot hope for help from abroad, the P.E.M.S. after the terrible trials of the war cannot meet these new obligations. The domestic resources of the Church are already too small to cover the normal expenditure, A Native Minister receives a salary of £72 per annum which is too low, and everything in our budget is dependent on circumstances. We are forced with this choice WE SHALL DO WHAT WE CAN, BUT IT IS EVIDENT THAT IF NO AID COMES FROM OUTSIDE WE SHALL BE COMPELLED TO CLOSE MANY SCHOOLS, because we have not the financial means to

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reconstruct all our schools, many of which are very old, in accordance with Government requirements.v The Ghurch of Basutoland is, by its constitution, a church

which must adapt itself to the economic conditions of the country, it majses an effort to give to everyone a certain minimum of in- struotion? but to do this, in keeping with the resources of the country, it cannot do anything luxuriously. Education in modest surroundings is better than no instruction at all, if those who are being taught really desire education. The Native Church does not Know where to find the necessary funds to preserve all its schools, which for the most part have been opened on the express demand of the people themselves, and most often have been erected through the sacrifices of a local church which wanted its own school and teacher. These schools are poor enough to look at, but they match the nouses, which surround them. Their equipment, which one would like to improve, is very inadequate, but there is a real desire for eauoation and to learn the things necessary to modern life. Good work is done there, for the teacher is a Christian who does his best to form the Christian character of his pupils. These schools are poor, but they are cherished, because they are not something which has come from outside, and the children come. They come in large numbers, and when later on they leave, they have learnt to love cheir country and serve their God. Some beautiful characters have come out of these poor schools, and one finds them at their work, occupying important positions either in Basutoland or in the Upion, t_o__whlch many have been forced to emigrate and where many of them are greatly a p p r e c i a t e d . ' ---

Presence of the Roman Catholic Church increases the danger, because this Church is making a remarkable effort to plant itself in the country, and to reap where it has not sown. This great effort is not very old, for it has been only since the arrival of the Canadian Fathers in 1920, that this church has truly given its heart to making Basutoland the base for Catholicism in South Africa. At one glance it can be seen that this is not being done with Basuto money. The buildings erected are far beyond the resources of the country both in regard to number and size. This church is supported in its effort by world-Catholicism which is devoting large suras of money to the furnishing of the Mission in every sphere, educational, ecclesiastical, social and in co-operative movements etc. They have the material resources and a numerous staff. What can the Native church do with its petty resources to stem this avalanche?Is Protestantism going to let itself be robbed of one of its most precious jewels in South Africa? Is it going to leave to itself this Native Church so brave and still so alive? The danger is greater thanone can think, and will have very wide effects. The Roman Catholic church possesses the material resources to comply with Government requirements at all the places where our Native Church will have to own itself beaten.

We are in the presence of a battle which is being well directed̂ by the Catholic Church, which is all the more powerful because it has been able to gain great influence among the most important chiefs,^ A catholic Basutoland will be a terrible threat to the evangelical church in South Africa. It is time that our brethren in the other churches became aware of it and came to the help of their brothers in the Faith.This crisis has been aggravated by the war which deprived us of Ml£_of our missionary staff. an:d which cut us off from the churches of the continent of Europe, Certainly the effort made by the Native church has been magnificent, but one is aware of a feeling of fatigue, and of the necessity of reorganization which always follows a long campaign. The church is capable of a still greater effort and will make it, especially now that there is a prospect of reinforcements, especially those to occupy the important posts of superintendents of districts and teachers. During the whole of the war the missionary body was reduced to the limit, and it is nothing short of a miracle that it has been able to carry on.

But now it is a question of developing that whieh exists, of strengthening the Native Church and providing it with the things it nee#s if it is to fulfil its task as an indigenous church in the middle of South Africa, bringing the light and blessings of the Gospel to the Native people.

We intend sending you a copy of our periodical "Basutoland Witness" to keep you in touch with our work.

If you are interested in this appeal and see a way to help, will you please write to the undersigned.

Yours sincerely,

ALEX. BERTHOUO

paris_emsslical MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

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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