Alright people, don’t worry, we’re getting to the end of the list of things I took photos of in the SOAS archives and now want to put online. The letter in the last post was an unofficial letter from District Committee Secretary John May to the London Missionary Society Foreign Secretary R. Wardlaw Thompson. That is followed up below official letter, which I think you can tell because it was typewritten. My scans of both the letter and the follow-on report are at the bottom.

Kawimbe, N.E.R

November 29^th, 1900.

Dear Mr. Thompson,

I am sending you two resolutions which have been agreed to since our Annual Meeting. The wording of the telegram was as follows:-

“Missionary, London.

Awemba Country open to Society till end of December. French Fathers waiting occupy. If we withhold, they enter. Purves ready; has Committee’s confidence. Money available here. Wire instructions; urgent.”

I may add that part of the cost of the telegram has been borne privately.

We were very glad to get your reply on October 19^th.

I send also the D.C.’s Preliminary Report on the Awemba Mission; and regret it is so very incomplete. Still we thought it would be better than nothing in the meantime.

A letter reached us a few days ago from Mr. Purves who was then in Mushota’s Country, within two or three day’s of Kazembe’s Town. He was in good health and spirits, though both Mrs. Purves and he had had dysentery on the journey, and fever as well.

We hope you have had more reassuring news from China recently.

I am, dear Mr. Thompson, Yours respectfully,

John May

Secretary, Tanganyika D.C.

The report he was forwarding is below, with the sketch map mentioned here at the very top of this post:

—Report on Methods for Starting the Awemba Mission.—

The Tanganyika District Committee desire to state to the Directors their views upon the best methods to be adopted in establishing the Awemba Mission – in accordance with the Foreign Secretary’s letter of July 26^th, 1900.

First however they would record their sense of deep gratitude to GOD for having answered the prayers of missionaries past and present, and of those at home who are interested in our Mission, – in opening up the Awemba Country to the preaching of the Gospel, and in calling our Mission to go in and possess the land for CHRIST. From His hand direct have come the means for initiating and establishing the work which we have had in our hearts and on our minds for so long.

Preliminary steps have already been taken.

The first was the opening of an out-station last July by Mr. Robertson, at Mpolokoso’s [Mporokoso’s] large village in the Awemba country, – four days’ journey from Kambole. It is carried on at present by three native teachers, and has been visited by three Missionaries including Mr. Draper, who gave an encouraging account of what he saw.

We felt sure that this step would receive the approval of the Board, seeing that until that time they had been unable to send out missionaries for the Awemba work.

The second step is now being taken with the sanction, by telegram, of the Board.

On October 22^nd, Mr. & Mrs. Purves left Kawimbe for Kazembe’s Town. He intends to build a temporary house at a healthy site near Kazembe’s, and there to begin teaching and evangelistic work as soon as possible. A teacher accompanies him. He hopes to return some time in January to meet his brethren at Devotional Meetings, and to confer with them regarding the new enterprise.

Prompt action was imperative, or our chance of occupying the Ulunda Country, South East of Lake Mweru, would have been lost, and the Roman Catholic Fathers of the Algerian Mission [White Fathers] would have secured that district for their work. (See letter to the Board of October 5^th, 1899.)

With regard to the points on which information is required: –

(1) The accompanying sketch-map shows the tract of country we are occupying. In due time we shall be able to get an official statement from the Administrator in which the boundaries will be clearly defined. The boundaries roughly shown in the map are as stated by the Collector of the Mweru District.

(2) It is clear that one station must be near Kazembe’s Town, on account of the large population; but as the town itself is on the edge of a vast swamp and joining the River Luapula, it would be unwise to think of placing missionaries close to the town. However about seven and a half miles North of Kazembe’s there is fairly healthy and high ground near the River Mbereze [Mbereshi] somewhere in the vicinity of which it is probable a healthy station could be built. Moreover it is likely that Kazembe’s people will be shifted from the marsh to the higher country above mentioned. The French Fathers had prematurely chosen a site for a Mission Station in the region indicated, but were not allowed to build, as the District was to be kept open for our Society until the end of the year (1900).

The position of a second station must be carefully thought over and discussed, before we can express our views definitely. We must report on it later.

At present there seem to be two alternatives at least:-

(a) To build a second station at Mpolokoso’s.

(b) To build a second station in Mushota’s Country – about three day’s journey West of Mpolokoso’s.

In favor of (b), and against (a) is the fact that Mushota’s population is far larger than Mpolokoso’s; also that it would make another link in the chain of Stations from Kawimbe to Kazembe’s.

Early next year we trust Mr. Purves will be in a position to report fully on the country, possibilities, population, etc.; so we must wait until then before discussing the question of the second station.

Whilst sympathizing with the Directors and our brethren in the terrible troubles in China, and the temporary check to the cause of CHRIST’S Kingdom there, we cannot but rejoice that in our Mission – though the smallest in the Society – we see GOD’S hand pointing, and hear His voice saying, “Go forward.”

John May, Secretary, Tanganyika D.C.

Nov 20^th 1900