(p.251) Connexional Affairs
«... The Rev. John Watson, late of North Shields, in the Sunderland district, has with his wife and two children sailed during the past month to take charge of the South African Mission. The loss of Mr. Watson is much regretted by our friends in the North, and we accept this as evidence that the Committee have made a judicious and excellent choice. We hope he and his family may have good health, and that the Lord will abundantly prosper his work in South Africa. ...»
(p.496) Stations of the Itinerant Ministers [for 1880]
«... AFRICA ... 476 Aliwal North / John Watson ...»
(p.502) Mission Work
«... The Rev. John Smith, who has completed five years' labour in South Africa, gave some account of the work there, and the immense field opened up in that continent for Christian effort. The services on our station at Aliwal North, have been apportioned to both Europeans and natives. "There were", he said, "two European congregations, and one native congregation, the latter numbering about 350 persons. A native Day-school had been established, and contained seventy scholars. Five native lay preachers and leaders had been appointed, and two Bands of Hope had been instituted; one European and the other native." Mr. Smith spoke hopefully of our work among the natives of southern Africa. ...»
(p.699) Connexional Affairs
«... We are glad to hear that the Rev. John Watson speaks hopefully of his work at Aliwal North, and seems to think that the place, though so far inland, may not be a bad base of operations after all. ...»
(p.123) Connexional Affairs
«... The Rev. John Watson, who went out to Aliwal North in the early part of 1879, is prosecuting his work with encouraging success. The English residents in Aliwal are, it seems, about equally divided, so far as church attendance goes, between the Episcopal Church and ourselves. From Mr. Watson's reports, the Europeans are well educated, and are supplied with the best literature the mother-country produces. The work among the natives is both interesting and promising, and there is a fair prospect of the Connexion doing some really good service among the African tribes in the neighbourhood of Aliwal. It is to be hoped our churches at home will afford continued support to this as well as to the other missions we have started in Africa. ...»
(p.188) Our Colonial and Foreign Mission Work
«... The Rev. John Watson, writing from Aliwal North, urgently requests the appointment of a second missionary there. The native church numbers 117 members, and there is a wide field open if only the Missionary Committee could send men. It is as much as one minister can do to sustain the work of Aliwal, without visiting Jamestown, or doing much among the natives. It rests with our people here in England whether or not this promising mission shall remain as at present crippled for want of another minister or two. The schools are doing well, and, on the whole, there is in connection with Aliwal much to stimulate the Connexion to afford additional support. ...»
(p.252) Our Colonial and Foreign Mission Work
«... On the Aliwal North Mission, there is a great revival among the coloured people, and the native church in that place is increasing rapidly. The Rev. John Watson urgently asks for a colleague, as it is not possible for him to do the work really needed on the station, much less to seek to extend the mission. He has recommenced services at Jamestown which had been discontinued on account of the war, and this necessitates his absence from Aliwal once a month. The Committee in England are anxious to meet Mr. Watson's wishes, and trust the Connexion will enable them to do so, as the European and native work on this station are becoming increasingly important. A remarkably powerful Watch-night service was held in the natives' chapel at Aliwal on New Year's Eve. The word was spoken in English, Dutch, Kaffir, and Sesuto, so that every man indeed heard it in his own tongue.»
(p.315) Our Colonial and Foreign Mission Work
«... At Aliwal North there has been a revival of the real old Methodist kind, among the native congregation. The people sobbed and cried on every side, and the distress of many was so great, that they fell flat on the floor in the agony of their souls. The leaders and members are working well, and the heart of Mr. Watson is greatly encouraged in his work. The little church at Jamestown is anxious to have a minister stationed there, and it really seems a necessity for this to be done if the South African work has to make any progress at all. Jamestown, though only a small place itself, is the centre of a large agricultural district; and Mr. Watson, with the work he has to attend to at Aliwal, cannot give the attention to the needs of the Jamestown district which is really desirable. We hope the Missionary Committee may be able soon to send out a man. ...»
(p.502) South African Mission Work [matters discussed at Conference]
«An interesting and lengthy debate took place on this question. The subject was introduced by Rev. W. Cutts, who read a series of extracts from letters received by the General Missionary Committee from the Rev. John Watson, who is labouring at Aliwal North. These extracts related to the need there for a colleague to be sent out to Mr. Watson to aid him in his work, and to the manner in which he should be employed. Mr. Watson has quite as much as he can do to attend to the needs of the church and schools at Aliwal, and it is not possible for him to give the attention requisite to the Jamestown interest, and utilise any opening that may occur for extending our work in South Africa. It is also necessary, it seems, in the Jamestown district, for the missionary to fulfil the duties of day-school teacher as well as those belonging to his pastorate. The population is so sparse that schoolmaster and minister cannot be supported, and, for the present, one man can do the work of both these positions. Under the government of Cape Colony, aid is rendered in the work of secular education, and if the minister sent to Jamestown undertook the work of secular instruction, he would be entitled to receive the aid allowed by the Government of the Colony. This was the point that was so keenly debated. There was a general concurrence of opinion that a colleague should be sent out to Mr. Watson. There was no objection to his undertaking the work of secular instruction in connection with the duties of his ministry, as it appeared he might do amid so sparse a population, and indeed must do if the work had to be carried on; but there was objection taken to the reception of a Government grant for this work of instruction, as it was maintained that this grant went towards maintaining the missionary. On the other hand, it was argued that it was not as a missionary that the Government of the Colony recognized him, he was in relation to them a secular teacher and nothing more, and for his work as such they rendered him aid. The Rev. John Smith, who had laboured five years in Aliwal, and who fortunately happened to be a member of the Conference, supplied much valuable information concerning the peculiar circumstances under which the work in South Africa had to be carried on, and the need there was to grant the request from Aliwal, and not cripple the missionary out there, who had the confidence of the Connexion, with restrictions which, however they might recommend themselves to brethren here at home, were totally inapplicable to the state of things in Cape Colony. Ultimately, it was resolved that in the opinion of the Conference, it was very desirable, if the state of the funds would warrant such a step, that an additional missionary should be sent to Africa, and that the Missionary Committee should select a man able to give secular as well as religious instruction, and that on the question of receiving Government grants for educational purposes, the Rev. J. Watson and his friends should be left free to act according to their own judgment. ...»
(p.625) Stations of the Itinerant Ministers [for 1881]
«... AFRICA ... 485 Aliwal North / John Watson / One wanted ...»
(p.317) [unknown section heading]
«... The purpose of employing a young man in South Africa in conjunction with the Rev. J. Watson is now virtually carried into effect, and Mr. Bradley, whom we named to our readers last month, is on his way to Aliwal North. ...»
(p.491) Stations of the Itinerant Ministers [for 1882]
«... AFRICA ... 502 Aliwal North and Jamestown / John Watson / John Bradley / John Msikinya ...»
(p.501) Native Ministers and African Mission Work
«Among the candidates for the ministry re[...]ed on probation this year are two native Africans - the one John Msikinya, belonging to one of the South African tribes, has been called to the work as an assistant to Mr. Watson at Aliwal North ... These are the first coloured men who have been pledged and received into the ranks of our ministry. ...»
| NOTE: There were no cover pages in the volumes consulted, so the precise dates of publication are unknown. However, page numbering assures their chronological order. |
Source: (photo) "Primitive Methodist Missions, Aliwal North", George Ayre, Laymen's Missionary League, date unknown