EVENTS THAT LED TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE REFORMED CHURCH IN AFRICA: EARLY BEGINNINGS

Get Complete Project Material File(s) Now! »

Revival of Missionary Interest: The Boer Prisoners of War (1900 – 1902)

At the turn of the century, by October 1899, South Africa found herself in a fullscale war with Britain. The Anglo Boer War, also known as the Second War of Independence, resulted in 26,600 Boers interned at prisoners of war camps in India, Ceylon, Bermuda and St Helena, while women and children were placed in concentration camps in South Africa. Of the 28,900 that died in the camps, 22,000 were children (Kok, 1971:12). The Afrikaner Republics finally agreed to negotiate a peace settlement with Kitchener and Milner on May 31st, 1902 and the entire South Africa came under the British flag.
The period of exile (1900 – 1902) proved a very painful experience. The many graves, of especially young people, in these far-flung countries solemnly attest to this fact. Yet, there was also an upside to the exile. Du Plessis, in his detailed study of the missionary involvement of the Dutch Reformed Church (Ned. Geref. Kerk) in Sri Lanka (Ceylon), refers to the circumstances of this period of exile and concludes that it was used by God for a sweeping spiritual revival among the Boer prisoners (Du Plessis, 1996:101, 103). Their relationship with the Lord was strengthened and many were converted (:101). At the Diyatalawa Camp in Ceylon much quality time was spent with the Word and in prayer. A thousand Boers divided spontaneously into small groups to pray and intercede during the evenings. This time of scripture reading and prayer in small groups was a daily occurrence. They were so intensely devoted to the Lord that they made a lasting mpression upon the British authorities and the local population.
Apart from Diyatalawa there were three other smaller camps in Ceylon: Ragama, Hambantota and Urgamanhandiya. At the latter camp, 39 prisoners of war were received as new members of the Dutch Reformed Church in Ceylon. All in all 5,000 prisoners of war were deported to Ceylon. Approximately 4,000 were interned at Diyatalawa (Du Plessis, 1996:77, 90).
The positive attitude of the church towards missions, prior to the Anglo Boer War, survived the ravages of war. During the war it seemed as if the church and its missionary zeal would be destroyed, but the exile in foreign countries and the resultant renewal and spiritual revival of many of those interned had the opposite effect. There, in a strange land, their spiritual eyes were opened and their hearts were strangely stirred for the salvation of the lost in Ceylon and elsewhere.

CHAPTER ONE – INTRODUCTION
1.1 Relevance
1.2 Hypothesis
1.3 Goal of the Study
1.4 Methodology
1.5 Definitions
1.5.1 Missions
1.5.2 Dutch Reformed Church Family
1.5.3 Indian Reformed Church (IRC) and the Reformed Church in Africa (RCA)
1.6 Structure of the thesis
CHAPTER TWO – EVENTS THAT LED TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE REFORMED CHURCH IN AFRICA: EARLY BEGINNINGS
2.1 ristianity in India in the late 19th Century
2.1.1 Roman Catholic Missions
2.1.2 Protestant Mission
2.1.3 Overview
2.2 The South African Connection
2.2.1 The first Dutch Reformed Missionary to Ceylon – Rev M C de Vos (1804 – 1809)
2.2.2 Revival of Missionary Interest: The Boer Prisoners of War (1900 – 1902)
CHAPTER THREE – THE ARRIVAL OF THE INDIANS IN SOUTH AFRICA FROM 1860-1911 WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THEIR RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION AND CUSTOMS
3.1 The Indian Immigrants to South Africa
3.1.2 Natal Sugar Industry
3.1.3 Negotiations and Recruitment
3.1.4 Passenger Indians
3.1.5 Socio-Political Position
3.1.6 Religious Affiliation
3.2 The Hindu Community in SA
3.2.1 Religion and tradition under pressure
3.2.2 Language Groups
3.2.3 Hinduism in South Africa
3.3.1 The arrival of the Indian Muslims in South Africa
3.3.2 Islam in South Africa
3.4 The Indian Christian Community in South Africa
CHAPTER FOUR – FIRST EFFORTS TO SHARE THE GOSPEL WITH HINDUS AND MUSLIMS IN SOUTH AFRICA
4.1 Roman Catholic Missions to Indians in South Africa
4.2 Protestant Missions to Indians in South Africa
4.3 Dutch Reformed Church’s Mission to Indians
4.3.1 Missions among Muslims in the Cape
4.3.2 Mission among (during) the Muslims in Transvaal
4.3.3 Mission among the Muslims in Natal
4.3.4 Mission among the Hindus in Natal
4.3.5 Mission among the Hindus in Transvaal
4.3.6 Mission among the Hindus in other parts of the country
CHAPTER FIVE – A CHURCH BETWEEN THE TEMPLE AND THE MOSQUE: THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE REFORMED CHURCH IN AFRICA
5.1 The Church between Temple and Mosque: a small but lively community
5.2 Establishment of the Indian Reformed Church
5.3 The Composition and the Role of the Mission Boards
5.3.1 The Congregational and Presbytery Missions Committees
5.3.2 Synodical Mission Committees (Sinodale Sendingkommissie and Indian Mission Sub Committees – Indiërsending Sub- Kommissies)
5.3.3 Federal Missions Council (Federale Sendingraad)
5.3.4 The Federal Council of Dutch Reformed Churhes (Federale Raad van Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerke)
5.3.5 Liaison Committee for Mission to the Indian People (Skakelkommissie vir sending onder Indiërs
5.3.6 Sub-Committee for Muslims and Hindu Mission (Subkommissie insake Moslem en Hindoe Sending)
5.4 The Composition and role of the Pioneering Mission Workers
5.4.1 The First Missionary Pioneers were as follows:-
5.4.2 The Later Pioneering Missionaries (1959 – 1983)
5.4.3 Pioneering Evangelists of the RCA (1957 – 1968)
• Prof C J A Greyling
• Rev D J Pypers
• Dr C du P le Roux
• Rev J Pretorius
5.4.4 Pioneering Evangelists of the RCA (1957 – 1968)
5.4.5 Pioneering Lay-Workers (1946-1968)
5.5 Voluntary Workers
5.5.1 Missionary Conference
5.6 Training of Ministers
5.7 Recruitment and training of Evangelist
5.7.1 The Recruitment of Evangelists
5.7.2 The training of Evangelists
5.8 Recruitment and Training of Lay Workers and Voluntary Workers
5.9 General Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church
5.10 Establishment of the First Four Congregations
5.10.1 Pietermaritzburg
5.10.2 Transvaal
5.10.3 Durban South (Est. 1965)
5.10.4 Cape Province (1966)
5.11 Mission Endeavour and Church Policy in a Challenging Environment
5.12 Missiological Perspectives (1946-1968)
CHAPTER SIX – CRUCIAL ISSUES IN THE ESTABLISHMENT AND LIFE OF THE RCA
CHAPTER SEVEN – CRISES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN THE LIFE OF A YOUNG CHURCH
CHAPTER EIGHT – THE RCA ON ITS WAY TO THE FUTURE
CHAPTER NINE – CONCLUSION
Bibliography