South Africa's 1st Missionaries:
The Cape Colony
The Moravian Church Outreach
The Brethren of the Law of Christ
UNITAS FRATRUM
Count von Zinzendorf & Georg Schmidt
Together with the many who were persecuted as separatist or pre-reformation Christians there are those that directly or indirectly had an influence on South Africa’s Christianity. Jan Hus was the rector of the University of Prague and his ideas, like so many other of the ‘radical reformers’ - caused major rifts between him, his teaching and his preaching and the tradition of Rome. As a result of Hus’s ministry and then his martyrdom a church was born under Gregorious of Kunewalde by 1457. This was 60 years before Luther’s protest.
Had Jan Hus and the many other pre-reformers remained silent - their lives would have been far more peaceful and far less meaningful. Their commitment to declaring the truths of the Gospel and calling for change (repentance) and a faith committed to a personal walk with Christ that was the product of God's grace and the inner work of the Spirit, made them the “enemies” of ‘status quo’ religion.
This was one of the forms of ‘Pietism’ that was often criticized as the “mystical” theology of the non-conformists. This emphasis on the convicting, regenerating and indwelling of the Holy Spirit was something also to be found among the rising Anabaptist movements. In one of these instances this would lead to the rise of a new spiritual movement known as "Unitas Fratrum" and the “Brethren of the Law of Christ.” For safety's sake this led to a community or settlement developing at Berthelsdorf called “Herrnhut.” - This village was under the protection of Count von Zinzendorf in Saxony (1722).
These most fervent believers were increasingly known as the “Moravians,” a grouping of believers that did not, at first, form a new church but operated “on the edge” of Lutheranism. Their ministries were focused on missionary outreach throughout Europe, the Americas through the V.W.C., the Asian and Malaysian territories of the V.O.C. and Africa. The respect they gained in the Americas led to their being accepted, at least - at first, for a missionary effort in V.O.C. territories, South Africa included.
Through a most unusual request from the Amsterdam regional council of the D.R.C., the first permit, though a ‘limited one,’ was granted by the V.O.C and was given to Zinzendorf’s own choice, an unmarried, unordained Gospel preacher, Georg Schmidt. Since the Moravians could not accept the dogmas of the Synod of Dordrecht, the V.O.C. permit excluded his ministry from any activity among the Dutch settlers, the soldiers, the slaves and any Khoikhoin under the supervision of the Dutch Reformed Church.
Schmidt arrived in the Cape on the 9th of July 1737 and was initially lodged by captain Johannes Tobias Rhenius, a German of Pietistic leanings and Rhenius assisted Schmidt in obtaining permission to begin his ministry at the Sonderend River and not far from the V.O.C’s Soetmelksvlei cattle and military post. Scmidt’s ministry was limited to a Gospel ministry (without permission to Baptise or offer the Lord’s Supper) and though it was limited to the “indigenous” or rather just among the Khoikhoin - a people group much maligned by the settlers and thinly scattered across the Western Cape regions.
Nonetheless, with all the opposition and even a degree of 'persecution,' the ministry would overcome all obstacles and experience the blessing of the Lord. Gardens were planted, houses built, and both learning and teaching commenced. In 1742 Zinzendorf ordained Schmidt, thus allowing him to baptise and offer Communion to the new believers.
In fact, the inroads of the Gospel were broader than many expected. Cape Town and numerous outlying farms were ministered to through Schmidt. The Gospel Message and Biblical teaching of the many Anabaptists groups was making its way into many individual lives and communities in and around Cape Town. Through this missionary spirit and these related spiritual movement’s influences, the need for personal evangelism even spread within some members and pastors within the Cape Region D.R.C. / N.G.K. These advances in evangelistic fervor, together with the personal humility, kindness and genuineness of Schmidt’s ministry. led to Georg having a much broader ministry than “officially” allowed.
Schmidt had followed Zinzendorf’s plan: i. to gather this ‘people group’ into a community, ii. to learn their “Khoikhoi” language, iii. to teach them the ‘Dutch’ language using the Netherlands Bible, iv. to give them the Gospel and, v. to bring them to a saving knowledge of the atoning and justifying work of Jesus Christ available to all by faith. Schmidt began at Koringlandskloof (or, Baviaanskloof) - later renamed as Genadendal. Schmidt’s first five converts were: Wilhelm renamed “Josua,” Africo renamed “Christian,” Vehettge renamed ‘Mother Lena’ (Magdalena), Kibido renamed Jonas and Christina was a sister of a man named Moses.
Later, in 1792 when the work was re-activated by Marsveld, Schwinn and Kuhnel, they found Mother Lena still alive and trying to keep the flock together by having her old - now tattered - Netherlands Bible read by Hanna, the daughter of Jonas. Hanna would be the first baptised convert of the re-activated ministry.
The ministry of the Unitas Fratrum, now revived, would have a rich history - especially over the coming one hundred years but stretching even to its 200 Jubilee Year. The Missions Stations: Genadedal (1737/1793) would become a valley of grace. Mamre (1808) would be called "an altar unto the Lord,: Enon (1818) is spoken of as a small village from where a new era started. Elim (1824) is thought to exist because the Strandveld became hungry for the Word of God, Clarkson (1839) is looked upon as a Station with a historic name, Goedverwacht (1845) & Wittewatter (1859) would be viewed as an exciting expansion of Moravian 'borders', Pella (1869) is looked to as a place of refuge and their were more.
Then there were congregations and early 'house churches' in or near the larger cities, as well: Moravian Hill, in Cape Town, (the Gestig Church, in District Six forced to close in 1980) but many suburban congregations were continued; then too, the Moravian Hope in Port Elizabeth could represent an expansion that carried on to its surrounds and Transvaal and Natal would develop over the coming centuries, as well.
Summary: The denominational nature of the Moravian church grew and any memory of anabaptist thinking long before gave way to a modified Lutheranism and then to newer influences. As with many - over time - churches, denominations and movement may loose a good degree of their earlier vision. The fact remains, that thousands came to know Christ as their Savior through this ministry. The Moravian church was never really a part of the anabaptist movement but in its earliest days the overlapping influences were obvious to some historians. History records that the Gospel of Jesus Christ was and hopefully is faithfully preached and God is glorified. drMSBsr
